Aftermath of iCarly
by SeddieBenett
Summary: Carly left for Italy a while ago. iCarly stopped but life went on for Sam and Freddie. Perhaps not much is different, after all. Ends on a 'cliff-hanger question' on purpose.
1. the trouble with dating other girls

_**THE AFTERMATH OF iCARLY**_

_**Freddie:** **the ****trouble with dating other girls**_

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><p>Freddie Benson pulled at his collar and reached down for his tie. Tonight he was off on a date with a girl he'd met at the mall a week ago. He stared at how handsome he actually looked in the mirror, and gulped nervously. He could do with some girly advice about how to impress this girl.<p>

If only Carly Shay, his best friend and girl-crush, was in the country. Alas, she was yet to return from Italy. He had forgotten the name of the little two she was living with her father, in some type of military base. He shook the image of a hot version of Carly dressed up in a skimpy camouflage outfit, winking at him and saluting. They had only gone as far as kissing. In fact, before she left of this "once in a lifetime opportunity", you know, to spend quality time with her dad, she did kiss him.

It was his dream come true. Or so he thought at the time. That was until later that night, when Carly had well and truly taken off and was flying the friendly skies. Or something like that. He was sad. Samantha Puckett, Carly's BFF, was also sad. In fact, he had never seen the girl so down.

Maybe because he had thoughtlessly suggested the unthinkable, via phone conversation. Real classy, Freddie Karl Benson, _real_ classy. He had been helping their unusual friend, Gibby, with a head problem. He wanted a clone of his head... or something like that. Freddie wasn't really paying attention. Anyway, Gibby got his actual head stuck in the machine... Freddie wanted to call someone for help... that person happened to be Sam - whom supposedly hated him, dated him and was back to hating him, supposedly.

_"Do you wanna get back together?" _It got blurted out, without thinking. He bit his tongue and sucked in his breath, waiting for laughter.

_"What?"_ Not exactly a 'no', was it? Her voice was once of almost disbelief but maybe with a hint of relief? Or perhaps sheer disappointment.

_"Nothing." _And so it was swept under the proverbial carpet. Never to be mentioned again.

Sam was off-limits, he kept saying to himself. Sam was completely off-limits, especially since Carly decided to leave the city... err... country. Who knew when she'd be back. He hadn't heard her mention anything as to the day of her return. Besides, Spencer had already converted her room into a private room for stuff. Freddie shuddered every time he thought about it. Once, he and Sam accidentally opened the door and saw... unmentionable items. They looked at one another and closed the door slowly, pretending that they hadn't seen anything. He doubted that the room and its stuff was going anywhere, as far as Spencer Shay was concerned.

There was a knock on his bedroom door, interrupting his train of thought and flashback moments before his big date. At least it wasn't his first one.

"Benson," says a familiar voice. "Your mom's out. And... whoa, hot-nerd alert!"

"What are you doing here, Puckett?" Using her last name just didn't have the same spite as it used to. "Can't you see I'm busy?"

"Don't care," she replies and automatically lays herself on his nicely made up bed. "So... whatchya getting all fancied-up for?"

Freddie smiled softly. The blonde stared at him like he'd gone mental for half a second and then shrugged. He turned and looked at her finally. Sam looked him up and down, checking him out like she'd done previous times, but then pretended to throw up because he was "too dorky" or whatever she used to say.

"A date," he finally says to her.

"I keep telling you dude," Sam replies, with a sigh. "It's illegal to date your relatives."

"Wha-" his mouth hangs open is disgust whilst she laughs at her own crude joke. "Sam! This is an actual girl from another family tree."

Sam's laughter fades out and her face falls a little before lighting back up again with another joke, something about aliens and robots making babies. Freddie shakes his head and recognises the symptoms immediately. He goes to sit down on his bed ready to have a serious conversation.

"I actually wanted to ask you something," he finally says.

"It's not a girly, dating kind of question is it? Carly's much better at that than I am." Sam says, looking at her hands.

"Carly's not here. But you should give yourself more credit."

Sam looked at him and he looked straight back at her. Freddie noticed a change in her behaviour ever since Carly had left Seattle for the big wide world of spaghetti and pizza. Little by little she had changed her clothes to be more girly, started wearing perfume - a scent he recognised from when they were dating, and to be a bit more pleasant in general to be around. He narrowed his eyes. She narrowed hers.

"And you have to go," she says, quickly. "Or you'll be late. No girl likes a loser that's late."

"But they like losers?" Freddie chuckles.

"Get outta here."

The moment had passed and he was kind of glad. Moments like that should always be spared when having a choice about it. Especially when it included a feisty girl whom he dated and... well pretty much went all the way with. This date would be the toughest one yet, since he knew that Sam was still very much in love with him.

"You know what, I'm not going," announces the boy, finally. "I don't even have anything in common with this girl."

"So you're just going to leave her hanging? Isn't that what any other jerk would do?"

Sam had a point there. Freddie Benson would never be a jerk, his mother raised him a lot better than that. They both knew that he wasn't the type to stand up a girl, perhaps the type to be stood-up but that's a different story. And hey, Sam Puckett completely agrees.

There was only one thing that he could do. And that was just go on the date anyway and see how it turned out. He doesn't tell Sam this. The girl watches as he takes out his phone and texts something quickly, but then stands up and grabs his jacket. She raises an eyebrow and looks at him race around for a last minute breath and pit check. he gives her a thumbs up and goes out the door, leaving a dismayed blonde laying on his bed.

Freddie decided there was no point in having a bad time, just because of Sam's little crush... or big crush on him. She had a lot of chances to ask him out.

"Hey Freddie," she says. "Thanks for your message."

"No problem, Angela," he replies.

Angela Peppington has short red hair, big brown eyes and is, actually, a world-famous internet star much like Carly, Sam and Freddie were or still are, however you look at it now.

They both met at the mall whilst grabbing coffee. Well Freddie was buying coffee for Sam but Angela was buying coffee for herself. She instantly recognised the camera-man and tech wizard of iCarly, and he swore he'd met her at Webicon at some stage. Whilst in-line, they chatted and laughed about different random things and finally she gave him her phone number and told him to call her sometime.

It turned out that Angela's family owned the franchise of Peppi Cola drinks and merchandise and plus she had her own show online to do with singing. She loved singing, or so she told Freddie. He had heard her songs, self-written and composed, and was needless to say, rather impressed.

"Shall we go?" Freddie asks, offering her his arm, like it was a 1930's romantic movie or something.

Angela giggles and takes his arm and he walked with her to a restaurant not far from the Bushwell Plaza. The place, 'Petrosini's', was famous around the world for their great lasagne.

_"It's called, when I die please put me naked in a bathtub and fill it with Petrosini's lasagne!" _Carly found that funny, and Freddie did too.

Whoa! Where'd that come from, thought Freddie. He shook his head and asked for a table for two in a booth. They both ordered, not surprisingly, lasagne. Angela sat across from him, smiling politely with her hands folded on the table. She looked too lady-like for this scenario. But Freddie smiled back and reached out to hold her hands.

The last time he was here, Sam was using far too much parmesan cheese on her lasagne, as he kept pointing out.

_"Why don't you grab each other's forks, and stab each other in the eyes!" _He thought he saw a glimmer of amusement in Sam's eyes whilst Carly went on, in a state of anger and perhaps lack of sleep. _"If you can't get along without my help, maybe you shouldn't be dating at all."_

The particular memory haunted him still. He let go of Angela's hands and kept them to himself. She looked at him strangely before retreating herself. His phone suddenly buzzed, and he looked at the picture on the screen. A crazy Sam Puckett face popped up with a message attached. 'is ur date fun?' and there was an emoticon with a tongue poking out. Freddie puts it away and doesn't reply. Angela talks about her newest show and how many views it has been getting.

When the lasagne arrives, she digs in straight away, not using too much parmesan. And also... doesn't talk with her mouth full.


	2. if Carly was still here

_**THE AFTERMATH OF iCARLY**_

_**Sam: if Carly was still here**_

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><p>It had been a week since Freddie had met a girl whom he liked. Sam couldn't stop giving the dork a hard time about it, because really, why should she let a golden opportunity like that slide past without a second glance? The whole teasing and tormenting thing was her jam.<p>

If Carly were here, she'd tell her best friend to a) be nicer to him and b) what was up with her lately ... even if Carly seemed a little oblivious to Sam's major feeling loop towards Fredward Benson, she could always tell that her BFF could somehow see straight through her little act of toughness and meanness. It was, for all intents and purposes, a wall she'd built and taken a good part of sixteen years to build. But it was an ongoing process.

Just like a couple of years ago, at the lock-in, at Ridgeway High - a ludicrous idea that students would actually be productive during this evening. When Principal Franklin announced in over the loudspeaker, the girl was ready to burst out laughing. But something stopped her. Anyway, they all worked on separate projects.

_"Don't you want a nice boyfriend? Go for it... make a move. I just want you to be happy." _Carly's eyes were full of love right at that point. Sam clenched her teeth together.

_"Then bake me a pie." _Which could be translated to: then leave your big sticky nose out of other people's love lives. She wasn't happy where the argument ended.

Bake me a pie. Such a typical Sam-ism. Especially the way she said it, like it actually meant what she wanted it to - just with different words. Before leaving, she noticed a shadow of guilt pass over her friend's face. But Carly always had a shadow of guilt - like she was forcing Sam and Freddie to get along for her own peace of mind. What was it she said to Sam before leaving for Italy? Something about being "civilised" towards Freddie. Just as she did back then, now, Sam laughed out loud.

_"I kissed Freddie!" _The door slammed shut in Sam's face. She was more shocked than angry, and really didn't know how to react. She knocked on the door.

The words echoed in the back of her mind. Why now, she thought. Of all the times in the world to be thinking of her jealous moments... this had to be the worst. Well, that and the moments afterward with all the PDA. Sam actually threw-up the first time she saw Carly and Freddie together. It made her physically ill.

Thinking about it now made her sick to her stomach. And the girl had the strongest stomach out of all three of them.

Sam thought of all the ways she could to break both Freddie and Carly up. So then came the 'Bacon Analogy' - which was based on a true story, but somehow did the trick. She got into his head and messed with it. That same day, they broke up. It was strange because Carly wasn't all that cut-up about it. Neither was Freddie.

_"Jealous?" _There was way too much satisfaction in his smirk.

_"Gross." _

_"You just can't stand the idea of Carly and me as a couple." _Sam resisted the urge to slap the boy right then and there. Of course she couldn't! That was the problem!

_"Very true, it makes me want to puke up blood." _And that had already came true, maybe not the blood part, exactly, but the throwing up had occurred more than once.

Now though, he was on some random date with a girl. She was pretty, she was most likely smarter than Sam and a little more polite as well. Why wouldn't Freddie be interested in starting a relationship with a perfect girl like that? What was her name again? He'd only said it a couple of thousand times... Allison? Abigail? Did the name even start with an 'A'? Perhaps her name was Francine or Molly. Sam pondered this whilst wandering from his bedroom into the Benson kitchen.

The kitchen had to be one of the best places of the whole house, in her opinion. It had a fridge and it had cupboards that were more often than not filled with food. Sam loved food. She yanked open the fridge door and closed it almost immediately. Tofu? Yuck! And what on earth was that green gooey stuff in a container? Gross!

"Mrs Benson is one whackadoodle," she said out loud. "Poor Fredward."

Sam shrugged and went back into Freddie's bedroom, secretly admiring his vast collection of space movie stuff and computer nerd pieces. The bed was comfortable too. Everything about his room was a constant reminder of when the two of them dated for a short while.

Now that they had graduated, Freddie would be going to New York but Sam had no clue as to where she'd wind up. She hated that she wouldn't be able to see him every day - not in a "I can't live without you" sappy way though. Just because the two of them had become closer since Carly moved to Italy. Thinking about that day sent shivers up her spine. It's when she came over to check that he was okay.

Let's dive into that flashback, shall we?

_"What? Are you here to gloat, Sam?" he said, almost spitting out the words. _

_"No," she replied, taking a seat on the window sill next to him. "I know you're cut up about Carls leaving us."_

_Freddie snapped his head up and eyed the blonde suspiciously before nodding his head slowly. Sam stared at him for the same amount of time as he stared at her. _

_"Why would you care?" The tone was a bitter one. _

_"Because," she said, with a pause. "I'm sad about it too."_

_They both sat there, soaking up the silence that was setting in and around them on that fire escape. She had a feeling they'd be coming back to their special spot sooner or later. The memories flooded her mind. But she shook her head until Freddie asked her what her problem was. Sam denied her feelings then, just like she always had done. _

_"Nothing... dork." The insult was forced. But he winced at it nonetheless. "Just... stop being all sad. It's bumming me out."_

Sam winced at her own flashback, and recalled how she felt back then, and also how she was feeling now. The fact of the matter was, she was still in love with him. But he was on a date with the wrong girl. She looked at the clock shaped like a rocket, grabbed her shoes and headed out the door. Maybe there was still time.

Somehow, she knew exactly where to go. It was so obvious that he'd take her exactly where they'd gone for their first date - along with an irritable Carly Shay.

Petrosini's Restaurant hadn't changed one bit. Sam walked straight inside and instantly saw Freddie and whats-her-name in a booth, laughing and having a good time. Could she actually come in and break that up for her own selfish gain? Uhh, yeah! Or so she thought, anyway. The waitress gave her a bit of a dirty look as she waltzed over to their table and sat right next to Freddie's date.

"Hey, what's happening peoples?" she announces, casually.

"Sam!" Freddie yells, dropping his knife and fork on the table. "What are you doing here?"

Sam looks from Freddie's angry red face, to the embarrassed face of the girl beside her, back to Freddie. Things were not going to turn out well, she thought. Perhaps interrupting him on his first date wasn't such a brilliant plan. Despite her making it up in about five seconds upon walking into the place.

"Oh, of course!" says whats-her-face. "Sam, a co-host of iCarly. I'm honoured to meet you."

"Yeah, okay, crazy lady," replies Sam.

"Excuse me," says Freddie, still angry. "Would you mind leaving us to finish our date in peace?"

"But I need to talk to you."

"Now? Can it wait?"

"Nope. It's a matter of ... it's just important, okay?"

Freddie looks at the girl across from him and she gives him an 'I don't mind' kind of smile. But he shakes his head and stands up, pulling Sam with him. She grins but as soon as he faces her with a serious look on his face, she doesn't want to know what's coming next. She knows, alright. But she still doesn't want to know.

"Leave us alone."

The tone of finality in his voice just now cuts into Sam harshly and she actually decides to obey his wishes and leaves the restaurant, feeling sorry for herself.

The girl walks down the street, staring at the sidewalk beneath her sneakers and wondered where it all went wrong. If Carly was still here, she would go rushing over to her apartment and tell her everything. Carly would give her a hug and tell her that boys are stupid and she shouldn't feel bad because Freddie's just another stupid jerk. Because that's what best friends do. And that's what Sam and Carly used to do. Before she left. If Carly was still here, Sam would feel so much better right now.


	3. that one clumsy and awkward night

_**THE AFTERMATH OF iCARLY**_

_**Freddie: that one clumsy and awkward night**_

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><p>They were breaking up from two weeks of what Freddie would have called 'ultimate happiness' and for what? Something they overheard their best friend say to her brother and his baby-sitter, Jenna. Something about forcing their friendship into something more like a boyfriendgirlfriend relationship. After the 'I love yous' were exchanged and a bit more kissing went on whilst the elevator took them to the iCarly studio. They sat down next to each other.

_"Sam, have you ever..." he started to say but was cut off by her response. _

_"No, never." Sam replied, quickly. _

_"Would you consider us to-"_

_"I wouldn't say no."_

Of course Samantha Puckett wouldn't refuse this... maybe because she thought he was setting up a dare or a challenge for her. The boy didn't know what to say after that. Neither one of them knew how to start, but somehow they managed just fine.

Freddie shook his head violently. The memory vanished. Angela stared at him whilst he did so.

The nerve of that blonde headed demon, he thought. Coming in where he was having dinner with another girl. He regained composure before sitting back down and continuing their conversation and his lasagne. He reached over for the parmesan cheese.

The moment she left the restaurant, Freddie apologised to Angela and they continued talking about their lives outside of internet stardom. He told her about his college plans up in New York City and it turned out that her plans were leading her to New York as well. She said that her father and step-mom lived somewhere there, so she'd be living with them for a while until she got herself sorted with a new job and an apartment.

"This has been very nice," she says.

"You're too polite," replies Freddie, with a frown. "Sam doesn't believe in boundaries."

"But Sam seems like a fun girl. You two dated for a while, right?"

Freddie looked at the glass of water in front of him, afraid of her reaction if he told her the truth about him and Sam, and Sam's undeniable feelings for him. Perhaps, he thought, I can tell her half the story. It's not like it will change anything... will it?

"Yes, we dated. But only for a short time!" It was blurted out so quickly.

Angela giggles.

She only looked at him whilst he sat there spilling his guts and then giggled straight after the confession. He must've looked puzzled because she explained her unusual reaction.

"She still has feelings for you."

"How do you-"

"I can just tell with these things. Freddie, she wanted to confess her undying love for you."

Confess? Undying love? That sounded nothing like the Samantha Puckett he has always known. But she did interrupt his date with Angela and she looked sad as he kicked her out of the restaurant. But he already knew she liked him.

Freddie laughs. He just sits there and laughs, because there's nothing really he can say in response. Again, Angela stares at him whilst he did so.

It was the end of their date and Angela thanked him again for the entertaining dinner. Usually, and he'd heard this from Carly many times, the boy would walk the girl to her door and kiss her goodnight. But he wasn't really in the mood for any of that. It was a shame though. She looked like she was a pretty good kisser.

They approached the door of the restaurant and Angela started leaning in but before her lips got any where near his, he stuck out his hand for her to shake.

"Goodnight Angela, it's been... well... interesting."

"Goodnight Freddie," she says, with her sweet smile. "Call me." And with that she pecks him on the cheek and quickly leaves.

He felt a bit guilty not asking if she needed to be walked home. First his bluntness with Sam and now his rudeness to his date. Some gentleman I'm turning out to be, he thought to himself, bitterly. His mother would definitely scold him if she knew about his current behaviour.

After paying for the dinner, Freddie shoved his hands in his pockets and headed back home, wondering if Sam Puckett was mad at him. Of course she would be mad at you, you idiot, he thought to himself. You were a bit harsh, don't you think? You may as well have slapped her in the face and it would have had the same effect. All Sam wanted was to tell you the truth about her feelings - but do you think you could care a minute or two? No!

Meanwhile, he walked back down the street, the way he and Angela walked earlier and continued arguing with himself. He was completely absorbed inside his own thoughts.

It's her fault for interrupting my date with Angela! As if she could expect me to abandon a pretty girl like that just so she can be happy... his thoughts trailed off.

Isn't that what he did? Except it was Sam he was abandoning, and not just some random pretty girl. A girl he'd known since the second grade, pretty much as long as he'd known Carly. The girl whom put him down, called him cute but annoying pet-names, gave him nasty wedgies - he winced at that memory. The girl he dated... the girl whom gave him pretty much everything on that night of the break-up.

_"Since we're breaking up," she said. "And never speaking of it again... maybe...we could..."_

_"If you think it's right," he replied. He noticed the embarrassment crossing her face, and really he hadn't seen the girl so flustered. _

_"Of course it's just to get it over with." He almost laughed at the deja vu. Sam laughed with him._

That particular night with her burned inside his brain. Just thinking about it now, made him blush from the neck upwards. Anyone would think he had a fever. Ever since they had shared something so intimate and special - be it clumsy and awkward for a first (and only) time, he tried his hardest to push it away. It was a one time thing, she had said it herself. Neither of them had told Carly about it, for obvious reasons.

Finally he opened the door to his bedroom, surrounded by familiar things and didn't even bother to undress before laying down on his bed. But he couldn't sleep.

In fact, the night was long. He replayed the night's events over and over, but his mind was mixing it with older memories, particularly the one where they both were lying in his bed. He tossed and turned several times just trying to get comfortable and have pleasant dreams. But it was no good. He sat up and stared at the opposite side of his room in the darkness. He checked the time on his pear phone and groaned. It was only two-thirty in the morning. He wondered if Sam was still awake too.

He pressed her name and held the phone to his ear. It rang once... twice... three times... four... five...

"Hello?" the voice wasn't all that sleepy. Perhaps she wasn't getting much sleep either.

"Sam, it's me. Did I wake you?"

"Nah. I couldn't sleep. Some jerk blew me off at a restaurant earlier so he could eat dinner in peace." Her voice sounded angry. 'Jerk' was probably too kind of a word to use.

"I'm so sorry about that."

"No you're not," argued Sam. "I know you don't care about how I feel. And why would you?"

"And how do you feel?"

There was a long pause before she went into a whole speech of total and utter denial of her "undying" love for him. Freddie shook his head and lay back down, head on his pillow. He didn't say anything in response. What was there to say? He wasn't about to say that she's the one he thought about whilst out with Angela.

"Was the date fun?" It sounded like she really cared now.

"It was... it was alright." Not like when you and I were dating, was what he wanted to say, but didn't.

"Just alright," she repeated. Everything she said seemed to echo through his head.

A memory swarmed his thoughts just now. The one memory that he wanted to dearly forget but kind of treasured at the same time.

It was after everything had happened and just before the clock turned to midnight. The break-up hour. But there they were, laying together on his bed, like they belonged there. It was a shame that they'd ended things - and for what? Something that their best friend had said to her brother. But, that aside, he wanted to enjoy this rare moment with a girl he had feelings for.

_"Hey, how was I?" His arm was wrapped around her waist. He was holding her close._

_"Just alright," she replied, looking at him with a cheeky grin on her face. Some things never change. _

_"That's offensive!" He wasn't really offended, since he knew by now, she was joking. "But seriously...?"_

_"The best I've ever had." ...and she kissed him for one last time. _

Freddie grinned at this particular memory. Although, realistically, what she should have said to him was "the only time I've ever experienced". He kicked that thought aside, because for once in his life he had received a pretty darn good compliment from the otherwise obnoxious Sam Puckett. And he was proud of it.


	4. appearance of an old friend

_**THE AFTERMATH OF iCARLY**_

_**Sam: a**__**ppearance of an old friend**_

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><p>Sam was a girl who didn't usually get upset very easily. She wasn't one of those hopelessly romantic girls that drew her name and her crush's name in a heart in the back of her notebooks, she also didn't take compliments very well for fear that they weren't genuine. The other thing was she didn't give out compliments to other people because it felt awkward and wrong to her. It was cliché to say but, she didn't cry over petty things like boys or sadsappy movies. She considered anyone who did, to be quite pathetic. Except for her best friend, that is.

But today, the girl was zoning in and out of reality. Last night, the longest night of her life or so it seemed, Freddie Benson had called her to apologise for being a jerk. But it's not like she was ready to forgive his bluntness at the restaurant. It was a kind of a weird phone-call, since Freddie went all quiet on the other end and for the life of her, she couldn't remember hanging up after their conversation.

Now though, she was waiting for him at the Groovy Smoothie.

"I have just what you need," announces a crazy man by the name of T-Bo. "Stuffed Bell Peppers on a stick."

"Not now, T-Bo," she replies.

"Well I'm offended," and he goes to try and tempt some other customers into the delicious snack.

The place was crowded as usual with kids that went to Ridgeway High school, or at least who had graduated from there, just like her and Freddie. It wasn't long before the boy showed up with a paper bag filled with something that I'm sure she was about to find out about. It turned out to be a present for her. She liked presents.

"This is an 'I'm sorry for being a jerk' present," he says, as he sat down. "I think you'll like it."

Sam peered into the paper bag and her eyes lit up straightaway - just about ready to forgive him and his stupidity of yesterday. It was chocolate covered bacon (don't mock it till you try it) and it was her all-time favourite snack. He knew this, and she felt like lunging across the table and kissing the dork. Instead she nodded slowly.

"Thank you, Freddie." Inside though, she was passionately kissing him in front of everyone.

They sat and talked about everything and anything random, including memories from when Carly was still with them. Sam thought about her best friend a lot and hoped she wasn't forgetting her amongst all the gigolos and spaghetti. Then she looked at Freddie sitting across from her.

"So how's Abigail," she asks. "You two going on a second date, or what?"

"It's Angela," he corrects her.

"Abigail, Angela, they're all the same to me." Sam shrugs her shoulders. Freddie stares at her for a little while.

"As for the second date, I'm not sure."

The girl stares at him, wondering what was going on inside his head. Although she'd probably be a little bit scared to know what he was thinking about. Possibly that Angela chick and whether she'd go out with him again. The problem with it all was, she was pretty, she looked smart and she was all neat and tidy and had better manners than Sam did.

"You know what Carly would say if she were here."

"Yeah, I do. She'd say 'follow your heart, Freddie'," he replies, imitating her voice.

"... so?"

The silence settled around them.

"So what?"

"So what does your heart say?"

Sam wasn't going to take her eyes off of him just yet until he gave her a definite answer. Despite the fact that this conversation was turning to the more girly and sappy side of things. She took a mental note to slap herself later. But right now, his answer would determine everything. Feelings aside.

"Why are you so interested?" Freddie questions suddenly.

"I uhh..." she doesn't exactly have a response ready to give him.

"Well?"

A tallish, good-looking and familiar looking boy comes over to their table, all happy. Sam knows who he is straight away and gives him a huge grin. Freddie looks at him, nods his greeting but then focuses on Sam. It's like he's not going to let his question go unanswered so easily.

"Oh my God! Freddie and Sam! I haven't seen you guys in forever!" It was Brad, the fudge guy who was iCarly's intern/assistant.

"Hey Brad," says Sam, relieved that there was a momentary distraction. Freddie doesn't take his eyes off of her, and she can feel the intensity of his staring.

"Did I interrupt something here?" Brad asks, looking from Freddie to Sam.

"No, not at all!" Sam says, all excited. "Please sit with us."

"Well actually, I can't stay. I was just grabbing a smoothie before heading to my Grandma's house."

"That's a shame." Really, couldn't he stay a little while longer, she thought. Not that she was desperate or anything. Okay, maybe a little.

"How's Carly doing? I heard she was still in Italy."

"Yep, well. She sent me an email last week, telling me that she loves it over there."

"Cool," he replies. "Well, good to see you two. We should hang out sometime."

"Yes, yes we should. Right Freddie?"

"Huh? Oh, right." The girl smiles at him, and then stands up to hug Brad.

"Catch you later," says Brad, hugging Sam and then leaves.

The moment Sam sits back down, she immediately slurps her smoothie noisily, whilst Freddie has a bewildered look spreading across his boyish-cute face. She tries not to look at him but fails as he pounces on her with a question.

"What the heck was that?"

"What the heck was what?"

Freddie pretends to flip his imaginary long blonde curly hair, in attempt to mock Sam. She glares at him whilst he does so.

"Oh, hi Brad," he giggles, very un-Sam like. "Gee, Brad, we should totally hang out. I am so in love with you!"

"Stop it or I slap you," she says, in a tone that makes him stop. "It's not like that. He's just a cool guy."

That is the end of that. Sam remains quiet. Freddie doesn't say a word, and leans back to study her as she finishes up her smoothie. Sam becomes more and more nervous as the time passes. They both know she hasn't answered his previous question because Brad was just so conveniently there at the right (or wrong) time.

They sit there in awkward silence.

Until Sam's phone buzzes with a message on it. She wants to ignore it, but Freddie asks if she's going to check who it was that sent her the message. She gives in and looks at the screen. It was weird, but she still had Brad's phone number programmed into her pear phone - Carly...? Yes, she was sure that her best friend hijacked her phone and put the fudge dude's number in there "for... future reference", Carly would be saying to her, right about now.

"Well...?" Freddie asks.

"It's uhmm... a friend." Sam replies, quickly typing a message back and stowing her phone away. "Not that it's any of your business."

"Right."

Yet another silence consumes the remainder of their time together at the Groovy Smoothie. This was starting to get quite annoying. If only she could summon up the courage and just tell him how she really felt. But that was kind of redundant, since he was with Abigail... Angela.

"I should go now," she says, finally.

"Okay," replies Freddie. "I'll walk you home."

Sam wasn't about to decline his offer. So the two of them thanked T-Bo, and he told them to come again soon. They'd be back, since it was their favourite place to hang out, even without Carly there. At least one place still felt semi-normal to them. She stepped out of the door, being held by Freddie, and they both walked down the street in the direction of her house.

"Sam, I'm sorry again for blowing you off," says Freddie, as they walk. "It's just that... well... I wanted to see if I had a chance with Angela."

"Do you think she likes you?" Sam asks, blurting it out. Freddie looks at her curiously.

"I don't know. Would it matter to you if she does?"

"No." It was a little too quick of a response, and she bit her lip trying to not give away anything else. Way to go, stupid, she thought.

"Are you sure?"

Sam had never been so unsure in all her life. There he was, her best friend - one of them, and he was literally asking her if she liked him, in a sort of roundabout way that could have been confusing for anyone else. They always did this. They talked around things, not fully getting to the point.

She decided to not answer, and the rest of the walk was a silent one. Until they came to the front of her house.

"Thanks again for the present," she says, holding up the paper bag.

"Anytime," he replies, turning to go.

"Freddie, wait."

He stops in his tracks but doesn't turn around. Sam fiddles with the bag in her hands whilst thinking of what to say to put his mind at ease of the whole Angela thing.

"I'm interested because..." she starts, and he slowly begins turning around. "Don't turn around!"

"Sorry! Please continue."

"I'm interested because," Sam pauses and takes a deep breath in. "I just... don't want to see you getting hurt."

Freddie stays very still. Sam unlocks her door and quickly steps inside, slamming the door behind her.

She can feel her heart pounding against her ribs, almost like she confessed her true feelings. But really, she didn't. She just reiterated how nice of a person she was slowly turning into, much to her disgust. The girl leans against the closed door and sighs. Sam knew deep down, there will eventually come a day when she will have to tell him the truth. Just not today.


	5. just think before you speak

_**THE AFTERMATH OF iCARLY**_

_**Freddie: just think before you speak**_

* * *

><p>Today was weird, he thought. One minute they were sipping smoothies at the Groovy Smoothie and the next Brad shows up out of nowhere. Then he walks Sam Puckett home only to be told that she "doesn't want to see him getting hurt". Yep, today was weird.<p>

He turned to face the door that she'd disappeared behind moments earlier and raised his fist to knock on it, but stopped himself.

All he wanted was her to come clean and tell him the honest truth. That was it. It bothered him that Sam wouldn't tell him exactly how she was feeling. The truth. That was a little too much to expect from a girl who'd been brought up with the notion that lying about things reduced the pain and suffering. Just like the other notion of crying not being a healthy way to express your emotions. She wasn't like other girls.

The boy lowered his hand, bit his lip and walked away from the door. Resisting all temptation.

Coming to think of it, Freddie had never once seen Sam cry. Sure he'd seen her sad. The night that Carly left for Italy proved that the blonde headed demon had some feeling inside of her. They even sat together, brooding over the departure of their best friend.

Freddie sighed and walked back to the Bushwell Plaza, in dire need of a heart-to-heart with Carly. But her not being in the country was a huge road-block. Great, the only person in the entire universe that actually knows Samantha Puckett was not there. He sighed once more and looked up at the sky. There was a slight chance that someone up there could help him - he hadn't attended church in a long time. It was something that his mother and he used to do together. He sure could use some sort of miracle right about now.

His phone rang. He looked at the screen and an unknown number flashed across it. He ignored the call. They'd leave a message if it was so important. No message was left after all that. Then a text message came through.

**'freddie, its brad. do u haf Sam's no.?'**

So it was Brad who tried calling him. He must've kept his phone number. Why didn't he keep Sam's?

He typed back to Brad: 'sure do. y?'

**'i need 2 ask her sumthing' **came the reply.

'ok. gud luck dude' he typed, along with Sam's phone number.

**'thanks man. i o u.'**

Freddie laughed at the message in front of him. Then his mind wandered to other places, such as: what was so critical that Brad needed Sam's number? Was he interested in her? Something churned in the pit of his stomach as he swung the apartment door open. The doorman was no where to be seen.

If Brad was going to ask Sam out... would she accept?

That was ridiculous. Of course she wasn't going to just say "yes" to dating Brad. Although she did look quite happy to see him when he "bumped into them" by "accident" whilst they were enjoying smoothies together. No, come on man, he thought. That couldn't be possible. Sam liked him, not Brad.

Besides, maybe it wasn't about asking her on a date. Maybe Brad wanted to... help her with a job application. He forced a smile and grabbed out his keys, dropping them as his mind ticked over again. He bent down to pick them up. Why did he think it was so crazy? Sam is, for all intents and purposes, beautiful. Although if you said that to her face, you'd probably not live to see another day. Definitely not a risk worth taking.

He walked in, closed the door and made his way to the kitchen. There was note on the fridge saying that his mom was doing a late-shift at the hospital and dinner was ready to put into the oven.

"Thanks mom," he said out loud.

Later on that evening, he pulled out his phone and checked for any other messages. And his phone rang, as if the universe was listening to his every thought.

"Hello?"

There was no response for a little while. "Hey Freddie."

"Have you eaten all that chocolate covered bacon yet?" He was joking, and the voice on the other end laughed softly too.

"What if I have eaten it all?"

Freddie was tempted to ask her why she was calling. Perhaps a few years ago, he would have. But he knew better than to do something like that. It was best to let her come to you. Which is why he hadn't made any attempt to ask her out on a date - it would have scared her off.

"Listen, Brad asked me for your phone number," he finally says. Just a statement of the truth, really.

"I know," she replies. "He called me to ask me to-"

"Go on a date with him?"

"Well, not exactly. His sister is getting married, and he needed a date for her wedding."

There was silence. Freddie's heart thumped loudly against his rib-cage as he thought of something smart to say. But nothing popped into his mind. All he could visualise was Sam and Brad drinking champagne, dancing at the wedding reception, watching the bride and groom all happy... and when it would come time for the bride to throw her bouquet-

"Fredward," she interrupts his thoughts. "I told you I'm not into Brad like that."

"Are you trying to convince me or are you trying to convince yourself?"

He immediately regretted the words just slipping out of his mouth - he was out of control. Sam sighed on the other end of the phone, and he could hear some bitterness in her voice as she spoke the next words. He deserved every ounce of spite and sass that she was about to serve him. He also knew that this was far from over.

"Why? Are you jealous?" She was teasing him. But he wasn't about to fall for that trick.

"What do I have to be jealous about?"

There was a long pause. Freddie shut his eyes, opening his mouth ready to apologise. But then... a verbal attack!

"I hate you."

"No you don't."

"What?"

"You heard me."

"And you heard me! I hate you, Freddork Benson. Always have, always will."

"And I'm saying that you are lying."

"Go to hell."

"You first."

"Bastard."

"Bitch."

"Moron."

That was it. The straw that broke the camel's back. Fredward Benson had finally snapped.

"Just... grow up, Puckett! I can't wait for you to make up your mind! I know you like me! My patience has run out. You either tell me the truth right now, or I ring Angela and ask her out on a second date."

A pause. The other end of the line was silent for good minute and a half. Freddie shut his eyes and sighed. Really, he was sick and tired of her little mind games.

"How do you-"

"Don't try to change the subject. Well...?"

"Have fun on your second date."

"So that's it? What are you so afraid of? You know I'm not going to hurt you."

"Goodbye Fredward."

That was the end of that conversation/argument. The line went dead. He groaned in sheer frustration. The girl was infuriating, annoying and a complete coward. Freddie was angry at her, and perhaps more so at himself. Why did he have to ruin their friendship? He shouldn't have said anything. And now, because he did, she was running scared.

He felt like a complete idiot.

They hadn't fought like this in a while. It was always just shoved under the proverbial carpet and there was nothing they could do or say to make it disappear. Here he was, convincing himself that she liked him. The question he should have been asking was: 'if Sam and Brad date, why does that scenario bug me so much?' It was like she said. He was jealous. That meant that he liked Sam, just as much as she liked him. Sam was jealous of him and Angela dating, that had to be it.

Now he really felt like a complete idiot.

By pushing her into saying something she was obviously not ready to say yet, he was pushing her away from him and right into Brad's waiting embrace. Wedding or no wedding. Those two had every right to begin dating. Freddie didn't like that idea.

But it was his own damn fault. If only he'd shut up and just acted like he didn't know anything of her feelings, they'd still be talking on the phone right now.

There was only one thing he could do. He dialled Angela's number, and waited for her to answer. It rang several times, until her voice-mail answering machine spoke: "This is Angela, sorry I'm unavailable right now. But please leave a short message, your name and number and I'll get back to you soon. Thanks!" There was a beep. He recorded his message, stumbling through it. Leaving messages was awkward.

"Hey Angela, it's Freddie. Listen, I'd like to take you out on a second date. If you're keen. Let me know. Oh, it's Freddie, by the way. I think I said that already. Okay, bye."

He threw his phone down and lay on the couch in the living room, waiting for a response. Perhaps she was busy... perhaps... oh wait! He recalled her saying something about Thursday being her webcasting day - she would have been right in the middle of that. He closed his eyes and focused on his second date with Angela and not the fact that Sam would be attending Brad's sister's wedding with Brad. Brad all dressed up in a tux. Sam all pretty and girly wearing a nice dress and heels... her golden curls swishing around as they both waltz around the ballroom...

Stop it, he told himself. You're making it worse. Come on Angela, I'm counting on you. Ring me back.


	6. what's so perfect about being perfect?

_**THE AFTERMATH OF iCARLY**_

_**Sam: what's so perfect about being perfect?**_

* * *

><p>Lying seems a lot easier than telling the truth. Telling the truth hurts but hurts a lot less in the long run. As they say, it is better to be honest. Honesty is the best policy. God, that sounded an awful lot like Freddie's mother. But Sam had more practice at lying. Particularly about the way she felt about things. It was better that way.<p>

However... The moment she hung up on Freddie, she instantly regretted it.

There was so much more left to say to him. Such as: 'don't go on a second date with Angela' and 'I'm only doing the Brad thing as a favour, it means nothing'. She knew, deep down, that her feelings would remain covered up. Despite Freddie uncovering the truth - but what did she do? Said the complete opposite.

_"Denial is not just a river in Utah," she said to her best friend. If only she could actually take her own advice. _

Sam was scared. For the first time in her life, she didn't know what was going to happen next. Like flying by the seat of her pants. Which is what she was doing currently. The girl didn't like feeling afraid, it just wasn't her style. The more she thought about her conversation/argument with Freddie a couple of minutes ago, the more her armpits started sweating. Gross, I know. But that's how terrified she was. Now that she had given him "permission", pretty much, he'd go and ask the girl out for a second date.

But he wouldn't do that, she thought. This is Freddork Benson we're talking about. There's no way he'd have the balls to go against everything he stood for. Loyalty, being one of those things.

Then again, she was going out with Brad - to a wedding. A one time thing, really. His sister was getting married this Saturday, and he'd needed a date. Simple as pie. Mmm, she thought. Pie. No, focus! This wedding thing, surely wouldn't lead to anything to suspicious. Right? At least she wanted to think that nothing was going to happen between her and a cute boy who makes top-notch fudge. Mmm, she thought. Fudge.

God damn it, Sam.

After a shower and putting on her pyjamas, she climbed into bed and grabbed the paper bag filled with comfort food - chocolate covered bacon. Her all-time favourite snack - aside from fat-cakes from Canada. Mmm, she thought. Canadian fat cakes. Sugary goodness.

_"You can't tell anyone, especially Carly. She's going to freak out." He said to her, handing her the fat cake. _

_"Thank you, nerd-pants," she replied. "I'll keep it forever. Or... eat it right now."_

Those were the days. Back when times were simpler, less complicated and less scary. Now it was all too messed up for anyone to understand what was going on. If only Carly was there to make things better. Sam's best friend would always find a way to make things better. She'd always be telling Sam to be nicer to Freddie, to which she'd roll her eyes and eventually agree. She missed Carly like crazy right now. She bit into a piece of bacon and crunched it thoughtfully.

"Carly," she says out loud. "I wish you were here. Then you could tell me that this whole thing with Freddie is just stupid. And that we should stick to being frenemies."

The girl placed the paper back on her bed-side table, switched off the lamp and lay her head on the pillow, attempting sleep. The key word here was 'attempting'. She hadn't slept properly in over a week now. Still worried about Freddie and his new little girly friend and what they might be 'attempting' to do. But this time, she couldn't sleep because of what they had said to one another over the phone.

He had called her a 'bitch', but maybe she deserved that. She had called him a 'bastard', and he definitely deserved that.

How did he know about her feelings for him? Was she that obvious? Boys were quite often oblivious to way girls felt about them, as Carly always pointed out to Sam regularly. Sam could do nothing but believe this. This went for every boy she ever met. Perhaps Freddie was different... the exception to that rule.

She tossed over to the other side, closing her eyes, forcing herself to fall asleep. But it was no use. Sleep was staying away tonight, for no good reason.

The next morning, she had a text message from Brad. He was planning to take her to the mall for some dress shopping. She groaned as she read it and threw her pear phone onto the floor with disappointment. The one thing she hated to do, go shopping for dresses... and actually need to try them on. Her type of shopping was quick, easy and painless. This was more like Carly's type of shopping - which more often than not resulted in her not buying anything. Just window shopping.

Ugh, thought Sam, as she pulled on the same clothes as yesterday, fluffed up her hair a bit and took a look at herself in the mirror. She scowled as her reflection nodded its approval.

"Brad, you better appreciate all this effort," she says out loud.

Her doorbell rang, and just on time too, as Sam was brushing her teeth since she had just had breakfast. At least Pam Puckett was semi-reliable these days... she hadn't dated any form of loser for a while and kept the fridge stocked with edible food. That made her somewhat happy. She knew her mother was making a ditch effort, as the therapist had said, to be a good mom.

The doorbell rang again.

"I'm coming," she drones. The minute she opens the door, she feels a smile spreading across her face. Oh no!

"Hey Sam," says Brad. "Ready to go?"

"One sec."

Sam races back to the fridge, grabs a fat cake and shoves it in her purse then grabs her key out to lock the door behind her. Brad chuckled and lead her down to where his fancy car was waiting. He had his driver's license, and his dad had gotten him an expensive car for his birthday this year. She only knew all this because he had told her while they were waiting for Carly to come upstairs. She was taking an awful long time.

"So, I know you're not into the whole 'dress shopping' thing," he says, as the engine purrs. "But I promise to make it as quick, easy and painless as possible."

The girl opened her mouth to ask why exactly he knew that, but decided to not go into it too much. For all intents and purposes, Brad was just a nice guy whom she was attending a wedding with. A one time thing. No need to get all hung up about how he knows things about her. She had a sneaking suspicion that Freddie may have had something to do with it.

Freddie... she thought. Where would I be without you?

The car pulled into a car-parking space and Brad's teeth shone through his cute looking smile. If this thing, whatever she called it, with Freddork didn't work out, Brad would most definitely be Plan B. Haha, she thought. Plan B, Plan Brad. She was most definitely a genius.

"Do you have any shops that you like going into?" Brad asks, as they walk into the air-conditioned place, already crowded with people.

"Not really," she replies. "I just go where Carly leads us. Usually it's a shop with pink sparkly items."

Brad laughs, and Sam smiles softly. They keep walking until they come to a shop that has what seems like a million dresses on display at the front window. Sam shudders, but goes in anyway. She notices a smile creeping onto Brad's face. Dress shopping Puckett, she told herself. Just focus on the dress shopping.

There's a girl she recognises instantly standing behind the counter. Her perfection raining down on Sam's parade.

"Hello Sam," she says, with a bright smile. "Oh, are you hanging out with your boyfriend?"

Sam turns and looks at the boy who followed her in and was admiring the ceiling, as there were sun-catchers making light dance through the store. It really did look pretty. He watched them, and the blonde girl faced the counter girl, who happened to be dating Freddie.

"Hi," replies Sam. "He's not my boyfr- you know what... yes. Yes I am. I'm actually after a dress that's wedding suitable."

Angela's eyes widened at first. Sam smirked, allowing whatever thoughts were running through this girl's head to just run wild. Because she was feeling not as evil as she usually was today, maybe lack of sleep had something to do with it, she shook her head. What sort of girly, sappy monster was she turning into?

"Brad needs a date for his sister's wedding," she explains quickly.

"Ohh! Well that makes sense! Come with me, I have something that would be perfect."

It was weird that she knew exactly who Brad was, without further explanation. Also the fact that Angela was being a bit too sweet and helpful, bugged her a lot. Usually, she would have punched this chick in the face by now, because nice people annoyed her. But Sam being Sam, didn't question it and strangely kept calm.

Maybe Freddie's feelings for this girl had something to do with it... Nah, she thought, immediately scrubbing it out of her mind.

"Right. Lead me to it."

She turned to Brad and they shared a look, that needed no explanation. He nodded and again, smiled. And off she went, following Angela to the back of the shop, ready and willing to try anything she was given. Which was surprising, because the girl hated trying on dresses. But there was something about the niceness of Brad that rubbed off on her that made her behave like a perfect lady. Again, the "nice" people thing was creeping into her life. She was destined to be "nice" one of these days.

Even though she knew she was far from perfect. Just once, she wanted to prove herself wrong.


	7. mall days are usually good days

_**THE AFTERMATH OF iCARLY**_

_**Freddie: mall days are usually good days**_

* * *

><p>Needless to say, but we'll say it anyway for the point of this story... it was an incredibly long night for Freddie Benson.<p>

The problem was that he hadn't heard back from Angela since he left that really awkward sounding voice mail message. Maybe she hated him. Was he too late in calling her? Their first date was less than desirable, true - although she'd been very kind about it afterwards. But he had a sneaking suspicion that it was most likely over.

Today was mall day. Yeah, laugh it up. Sam did when she found out by complete accident. Freddie has a specified "mall day" - all thanks to his mother.

Every Thursday, in the school holidays, they'd both go to the mall, and just spend the day there. It wasn't long before he'd go with both Sam and Carly to the mall, but he wouldn't call it "mall day", he'd refer to it as "hanging out" with his best friend and frenemy. They'd grab a smoothie, and then wander in and out of shops, he'd fawn over the technology/electronic stores, Sam would be complaining about how sore her feet were and Carly would be drooling over some glittery item of clothing that she'd been looking at for over a month. Ahh, he thought, fondly. Good times, good times.

So yes, today was mall day. He raised his eye-brows at himself in the mirror, and his refection snorted back at him. Grabbing a jacket of some description, he shrugged it on and yelled a 'goodbye' to his mom. There was no response. Probably sleeping, he thought.

When the bus pulled into the bus stop, a whole bunch of people, young and old, hopped on at the same time as he did. One elderly lady he recognised from the Bushwell Plaza. Sam had called her a 'wrinkly old prune' behind her back because she yelled at them both for being ridiculous. That was before she knew about their web show. It was funny to think that someone could go from hating you to loving you in a whole day.

"Hello Fredward," she says, cheerfully. "How is your girlfriend?"

Maggie, the old lady, had a theory. And yes, it was one that included Sam and Freddie getting together again, dating, getting married and having children. Then again, Maggie also believed that aliens were going to take over the planet in the next five years. Maggie was kind of insane.

"Hi Maggie," he replies. "Fine thanks." It was better to just go with it, rather than correct her.

They sat down together, and chatted about aliens, having babies with Sam and how their children may turn out to be zombies that were mind-controlled by the aliens. It was a top-quality conversation in Maggie's opinion.

It was a little while before the bus reached the mall. He turned to thank Maggie for the company, and she nodded.

"Yes, you and Samantha take care now." He was kind of surprised that she'd remember "his girlfriend's" name. But there you go.

It was busy inside the mall. People bustling here, there and everywhere. One thing was for sure, he needed a coffee urgently. First though, he was going to see if Angela was working today - she worked in a dress shop, or so she had told him. Perhaps he'd grab a 'to-go' coffee and bring her one too. It was the least he could do after everything that went down last time.

After picking up the coffees, he took the escalator up to the second floor and in front of him saw her shop, with the million dresses in the front window. He shuddered before entering and made his way to the counter straight away.

"Oh hey man," says a familiar sounding voice.

"Brad," he says, not really knowing why he'd randomly say the dude's name. "Hi. Are you here for a dress?"

"Funny. Nope, I brought Sam here. Like you suggested."

"I did?"

That was weird. He couldn't recall saying anything about him needing to take Sam Puckett into a dress store. I mean, sure the guy was taking Sam to a wedding, but it's not like he hated Brad. He was a good guy. He was surprised that Brad was still standing and alive. It was a miracle. Either that, or Sam was planning a worse torture. He shuddered at his own thoughts.

"Oh my God!" a voice squealed, and he heard clapping. Excited clapping. The kind of clapping that most girls do when there's a sale on at the mall... or a cute guy asked them to prom. Carly was one of those girls.

"It's hideous, right?" Sam's voice replies, full of doubt.

"Are you kidding? Girl! Take a look at your fine self!"

A gasp, and more giggling, clapping and the like. Then it went very quiet. Freddie and Brad exchanged glances, until there were footsteps and Angela appeared.

"Sam, come show... what was your name again?"

"Brad," says Brad, with a warm smile.

"Right! Come and show Brad!"

Angela gives Freddie a little wink, as if to say 'wait until you see her' and then went back around the corner. Freddie sees Angela and Brad exchange a flirty glance.

He puts the coffees down slowly, leans against the counter, and watches as Angela pulls a reluctant Sam from around the corner, supposedly where the fitting rooms were located. His breath caught in his throat, seeing her all prettied up like a princess.

Once he was breathing normally again, the boy was about ready to pinch himself to make sure it wasn't one of his... late night dreams.

It was very much like one of those moments from a romantic comedy sort of movie - the type that Sam hates to watch - when the leading man sees his "best friend that's a girl" all dolled up for the very first time, and then he decided that "oh, she IS good enough for me"... Freddie just stared at Sam, mouth hanging open.

Sam's eyes widened and she instinctively covers herself with her hands very quickly. It would have been a laughable moment, except no one was joking around.

"Freddie! What the hell?" Sam shouts and looks ready to slap the girl next to her. "Angela! Did you know he was here?"

Angela flinches at her tone of voice and attempts to calm her down, without using those exact words. Because as we all know, never tell a girl to "calm down".

"Only when I came out here to tell Brad how gorgeous you look."

Freddie winced at that. Brad nodded slowly and backed up a little. Sam was now fuming. Smoke could have been coming out of her ears, she looked so mad and red in the face. Freddie recognised the danger immediately, and grabbed one of the coffee cups and made his hasty exit from the dress shop. There was no way he was getting his head bitten of by an angry Samantha Puckett.

He found a bench not far from the store and sat down, placing the coffee cup next to him and rubbed his face with his hands.

"That could have gone better," says a soft voice. "I'm sorry Freddie."

"It's not your fault," he replies. "Sam's just... ugh! Sam! You know it's really frustrating being in lo..." His voice trails off, seeing an excited twinkle in her eye.

"Go on," she whispers, silently daring him to continue. "Say it."

"Angela..."

The girl looked him right in the eye, and he sighed deeply, letting his head fall forward in defeat. There was no turning back now, he knew that a long time ago. The most infuriating fact of the matter was... he wanted to tell Sam. He wanted Sam to be honest with him and say that she liked him, because he knew she never stopped.

"Freddie..."

"You should probably go back to the counter."

"Oh yeah!" She jumps up quickly and scrambles back to the dress shop.

He shakes his head at her carelessness, but remains on the bench, watching people walking by casually. There was absolutely, positively no way that he would be going back into that god-forsaken dress shop. He couldn't face that blonde headed demon again. Not after the way she looked at him. He was an idiot.

"You're an idiot," says Sam's voice. It's not angry sounding. It's not even embarrassed sounding. It's... indifferent.

"Sam, I-"

"Save it, nerd. I didn't come for a stupid apology."

"What?"

"You heard me."

"No, I mean. What did you come here for?"

"Dress shopping."

As Sam holds up the bag in front of him, a vision pops into his head.

A vision of her wearing the dress, and asking him to dance with her. Like the prom that they never attended. Because Carly left for Italy... the school held a prom... but according to Sam, proms were just an excuse for losers to appear cool and for girls to lose their v-cards. So Freddie agreed when she said that they shouldn't go - he kind of regretted it. He would have given anything to bring back that moment... summon up courage and just ask her.

The vision disappears. The blonde stands there, looking at her feet. Now it seems she's kind of embarrassed. Not that there's any point to be. But it's almost like she wants to apologise.

"Freddie."

"Sam."

They speak simultaneously. He looks at her and she looks at him. He lets her speak first.

"I was just going to say that-"

"There you are!" Brad's voice rings out over the mall and he comes and joins them. "Hey, do you guys want lunch? There's a really cool café that's just opened up."

"I'm up for food," replies Sam.

"What a surprise," says Freddie, rolling his eyes.

She shoots him a look, but it's not a scary one this time. Their teasing isn't so powerful as it once was. She feels it too, he's sure of it. He notices Brad looking at both them like he knows their secret - and exactly what secret? He then shrugs it off as a trick of the light.

Freddie smiles at Sam. The girl almost looks like she is smiling back at him. They all head off to lunch, Brad taking Sam's hand in his and she lets him do it. Such a nice looking couple.

Damn this mall lighting, he thought.


	8. top of her 'most awkward moment' list

_**THE AFTERMATH OF iCARLY**_

_**Sam: the top of her 'most awkward moment' list**_

* * *

><p>Welcome to another episode of Awkward Moments of Sam Puckett's Life. Your host, SeddieBenett here, reporting live from the Ridgeway Mall. Accompanying Miss Puckett is the cute Brad, fudge-making legend and also the even cuter Freddie Benson, technological genius. They are having lunch together. Yes, all three of them.<p>

It had to come on top of the list of "Most Awkward Moments" in Sam's opinion. She constantly looked at Freddie and Brad - like some weird tennis match.

"Who knew that you would agree to go dress shopping," teases Freddie.

"Shut up, Fredwart," she retaliates.

"Do you guys still fight like this all the time?" Brad asks, kind of not hoping for a response.

They both looked at one another, not wanting to respond to that question. Things had been, for lack of a different word to be used here, awkward. Awkward indeed. It was the reason that their fighting didn't really have that same bite as it once did. Because things were said... or not said, in Sam's point of view, it was definitely awkward. You could feel the awkward, as she used to say.

Carly wouldn't approve of what was going on. But then again, if they started going out more seriously, she wouldn't approve of that either. Sam sighed, hoping Brad or Freddie didn't see or hear her. Her best friend was hard to please. But seriously... who died and made Carly queen of the world?

"I'm hungry," she says, since no one's said anything in a while.

"The food's coming," replies Brad, with his cute smile. God damn it, thought Sam.

Sam watches Freddie fiddle with a speck of something on his fork, before placing it on the table and straightening it perfectly. The boy had grown a pair in the past week or so. Maybe that was thanks to the "wonderful" Angela. Oh, Angela. Why did she have to be so damned amazing? Sam wanted to punch her beautiful face.

"Hey guys," says Brad, breaking another bout of silence. "Bathroom break, be right back."

"Great."

"Thanks for sharing."

Sam and Freddie spoke simultaneously. Brad leaves them to it for the time being. You'd think that they'd use this golden opportunity to discuss something of value, as in, the thing that Sam wanted to tell him before Brad had asked them about their lunch decision. But that would be something that normal people would do. They weren't normal.

"I hope they bring hot-sauce for the pizza this time," says Sam.

"Why you need hot-sauce for a Hawaiian pizza is beyond me." Freddie responds, chuckling half-heartedly.

"Why you need to be dating some gorgeous, perfect, girly girl is beyond me." It just slipped out. She wasn't even thinking about what she was saying, but his eyes stared at her, unblinkingly.

"Sam-"

"I mean," she continues, cutting him off. "Why would any girl want to date... this mess?" her hand motions around his face, and laughs. He rolls his eyes at her.

So she was very quickly giving up on the whole "perfection" thing before it even began. But she missed this. The playful teasing and just being with him. She somehow could sense that he missed it too. They had spent far too long worrying about whether they should be dating again or not, and not enough time on just being friends. Best friends. Be it a little far-fetched.

Not to say that she didn't not like him. Not to say that he didn't not like her. There were too many 'nots' in there.

"I asked Angela on a second date," he says. If he's waiting for a reaction, she's not going to give him one. "But she hasn't responded to my invite."

"I wonder why that is," she replies, with a cheeky smirk.

"She thinks that you and I still have... feelings for each other."

Sam's smirk drops, and she looks at the random couple on the other side of the café who were a little too close for comfort. She feels her heart race all of a sudden, and her palms grow sweaty and gross. She wipes them on her pants a couple of times, then picks up the glass of water and drains it in one gulp.

"It's really warm in here, isn't it warm...?" she purposely isn't responding to the 'feelings' thing.

"It's true, isn't it?"

Yes! She felt like screaming out, but held back her answer. There was no way she could say it. Not in a million years! The sweaty palms returned with vengeance. It was best to not say anything. Focus on something else, she told herself. Like... ooh, is that a piñata on the ceiling?

"Is that a piñata on the ceiling?" Sam asks, out loud.

"I know you're scared," whispers Freddie. "And I know that we've done it before and it didn't work, but-"

"You know, Brad is taking a really long time... I thought girls took longer in the bathroom..."

"Puckett! God damn it, listen to me!" Freddie yells, knocking the chair from underneath him as he stands up. She has never seen him so determined before. "I still love you!"

The café went suddenly silent.

No. What? No. What? Sam could see that Freddie was just as uncomfortable from his admission as she was.

What the hell, dude? Sam thought, frantically. Just... what the hell? Since when was it okay for a dork to still love her? Since when was it okay for it to be shouted out in front of actual real live people? Since when, in the history of the universe, was it alright for Freddie to still be in love with Sam?

The only thing that Sam could hear at that moment was her heart pounding inside of her ears. You know that feeling when you're terrified? Yeah, that was happening to her right now. She felt like the world had completely stopped moving, time was standing still. Brad, who had entered at the wrong or right time, was now standing right next to the table, eyeing them both.

Freddie stared at her, not saying anything else. Sam could feel everyone's eyes on them all and was going red as a tomato.

"Well this is awkward," says Brad. "Should I leave you two to work out... whatever you need to work out?"

"No!" She didn't want to be left alone with Freddie, if it could be helped.

"Yes." He, as far as she could tell, wasn't about to leave anything unsaid.

Again, the simultaneous response. They had to stop doing that, thought Sam.

Sam looked at Brad, who was now backing away slowly. The silence between them all was deafening. She wondered if he was starting to regret asking her to his sister's wedding. And really, she thought. Why wouldn't he full of regret? He walked into a rabbit burrow of chaos and madness of whatever she and Fredward were becoming. He would be an idiot if he didn't feel like his emotions were being violated right now.

The point was that she didn't want to look at Freddie now, as their moment had long since passed. It wasn't ever coming back. Tension was still hanging around them like a bad smell.

"One Hawaiian pizza with extra ham," announces the waiter, placing the pizza dish down on the table.

"Yay," says Sam, taking her mind off things. "Pizza's here! I love pizza!"

"Oh so you 'love' pizza? You can say THAT?" Freddie yells, rising to his feet once again. She tries her best to ignore him... but fails.

"Hey waiter," calls Brad, making a hasty escape before things get too heated. "About that extra ham..." his voice fades as he disappears after the waiter.

Sam clenches her teeth, and makes fists with her hands about ready to punch the boy across from her right in the throat. Yes, that's how mad she was feeling right about now. What was his problem? Sam thought, with a scowl. In fact, she was ready to say it out loud.

"What is your problem, Benson? You know what, don't answer that. So you still have feelings for me... so what? It's not like it changes anything. And... If you want a full-blown confession, you're not getting one. You should know by now that's not my style. So quit being childish and let me enjoy this here Hawaiian pizza with extra ham!" she takes a breath after it all.

"I just confessed my feelings!" Freddie protests. "Don't I deserve a little declaration of admiration?"

"Do you really want an answer to that?"

The silence drags on, and Sam busies her mouth with a slice of delicious pizza - well it's usually delicious. Today, she realises, it can only taste like cardboard. And she had eaten cardboard. What? School projects made her very hungry sometimes. It was a project on pie. Well, pie charts. To her it looked like a homemade apple pie.

Brad doesn't come back from wherever he scampered off to earlier. Freddie sits there, mulling over everything that has been said. Sam remains completely oblivious to it all as per usual. Lunch is well and truly over. She knows that there's a chance that her "friendship" with Freddie could be well and truly over too. But at least lunch is an ongoing everyday occurrence. A friendship is only as strong as the people included in it are and if the desire to move forward together overcomes any other doubt or fear.

It sounded like a bad version of Dr Phil inside her brain right now.

They walked to the counter, forgetting that Brad may be still inside, and still keeping away from the complete and utter awkwardness. Sam watched as Freddie paid for everything, because she wasn't about to offer. And then they walked out back into the mall. Sam fiddled with the bag that contained her new dress - it was true, she looked kind of smoking hot in it... okay, she looked drop-dead gorgeous. There was no denying it. Damn that Angela and her good sense of judgement! But that was beside the point.

"So that's it," says Freddie, quietly. "You have nothing else to say." It was like he was asking... no... begging for her 'admiration' - whatever that meant.

"I have nothing else to say," she replies, nodding.

"You're really infuriating, you know that right?"

"Don't use fancy words just to make yourself look smarter than me."

"Then give me one reason why we should keep on being friends, and I'll be nice about it."

Sam screwed up her nose in thought. On the one hand, if she didn't answer and teased him for being a dork, she could lose him forever. Uhh, yay? She wasn't sure if she could handle being without Carly and Freddie. On the other hand... no Fredward Benson to make her feel stupid or to make her feel inadequate.

"Carly," she finally blurts out.

"Huh?"

"We have to stay friends for Carly's sake," Sam was secretly impressed that she'd thought of this answer. "It wouldn't be fair on her if we spilt up."

"That's not what I..." his voice trailed off. "Do you have another reason to tell me?"

"No I don't. But..."

"But what?" She could tell he was dubious of her intentions. She didn't care.

"Just. Close your eyes for a sec."


	9. a kiss, a fight and a conversation

_**THE AFTERMATH OF iCARLY**_

_**Freddie: a kiss, a fight and a conversation**_

* * *

><p>It wouldn't be the first time that he was seriously doubting her intentions to be something good. This was Sam Puckett we're talking about. He wasn't sure why, but there was actually something endearing about the way she requested his eyes to be closed. Before, he was feeling very angry with the way she was acting. No surprises there though. He had meant what he had said, about the infuriating thing. Sam was standing there, waiting for him to comply.<p>

He closed his eyes tightly, awaiting whatever was coming. Stupid boy, really. It could have been ANYTHING. He braced himself for the absolute worst.

"Just... get it over with."

"Okay," her voice replies. "This is the other reason why we should stay friends-"

"What! But you said you didn't have another one!" He was beside himself with confusion.

"Let me talk! You asked if I would TELL you."

"Now you're being ridic-"

"Ugh! Just... Shut up Benson."

His next words were cut off before he could even get them out properly- deja vu, anyone? She grabbed him by the shirt. He forced himself to keep his eyes shut tightly which was quite a challenge.

What would happen next? Would he die?

His brain filled with all those other times he'd ended up with blood coming out of his nose, or a wedgie... or just on the floor, grasping his leg or arm. Freddie, he thought frantically. There's no backing out now! You're an idiot. You're a complete idiot! Retreat! RETREAT! Too late!

Sam's lips pressed against his roughly and he felt his whole body jolt around as if electricity was coursing through his veins. She was freaking kissing him! Again! Why, he thought. Why now? His first instinct was to start kissing her back. Usually he'd take months of planning these things carefully.

To hell with it, he thinks. If I don't kiss her right here, right now, it'll be as good as over.

Freddie's arms quickly wraps around her body, he feels her fingers loosen up slightly and the bag she's been holding drops to the ground. And it's happening! One of his hands slides to her shoulders, brushing her hair away and tilts his head slowly, making the kiss last a little longer than necessary. This was what he'd missed from their little dating saga. That and... her in general. But kissing, with Sam, was a pleasurable experience.

All the times they'd kissed came flooding back. Her tongue brushed his upper lip ever so slightly, and those same bolts of electricity came back again.

He wanted to pull away but at the same time he couldn't get enough of her mouth on his. He was enjoying and dreading everything about this one moment. It had been a long time since they'd kissed each other like that. The fire was stirring up an emotion he hadn't felt in quite a while. There was nothing that he could do.

Their fingers wrapped around each other's shirts, wanting to get as close as possible, even in such a public place like the mall.

All the hurt, anger, passion, love, unresolved feelings went into this one kiss. It came out of nowhere. The best kisses often do, thought Freddie. Despite his careful planning of all the other kisses he's had in his life - there had only been two spontaneous ones. Before Sam and he started to date, and this one here and now. It seemed to last for an entire year. Finally, the girl pulls away, out of breath. They both are. He opens his eyes and takes it all in. Takes her in and realises she's still so beautiful.

"...and now you know." Sam says, as if that just explained everything. Freddie felt even more confused. Nothing new really.

Now. It is highly important to note the critical aspect of timing in every situation. This one being no exception to the rule. As someone once said: "Timing is EVERYTHING!"... and they were correct. Timing IS everything. Freddie could have done with a few more minutes to try and understand a) why Sam kissed him and b) WHY Sam kissed him. There was a difference. And there was also such a thing as bad timing. Brad, the fudge guy, had bad timing.

The thing to remember here, is that Brad had no idea what he was interrupting. Even so, Freddie was so close to punching the guy in the throat.

"Hey Sam," calls Brad's voice. "Freddie. There you guys are. I found you."

"Great," he says, blandly. Sam hits his arm. "Ouch! Puckett! What the hell?"

"My hand slipped," says the blonde, innocently Then turned to the other guy. "Take me home, Brad."

"I wanted to tell you that I can't take you home," he quickly explains. Freddie tries not to grin, because there's a chance that the boy will get a slap.

"Oh."

Brad goes on to explain that he had to get home for a family thing. But he had a nice time, blah, blah, blah, and that he'll pick her up for the wedding... blah, blah, blah. Freddie wasn't about to pay close attention to what was being said. He was still reeling from the moment that he and Sam had shared. That kiss was a lot more than 'intense' and 'fun'.

He watches Sam wave to Brad, who walks out of the mall's automatic doors and away from the two of them. Maybe, he thought, this was his golden opportunity. He should seize the day... Carpe Diem. That's what Carly would suggest he'd do. Carly was usually always right about these things.

"It's a shame Brad couldn't save you this time," he says, spitefully. It wasn't intended that way, it just ended up sounding a bit more harsh than it should have.

"Oh why do you care?" Sam says, just as spitefully. Possibly intended to be said that way, he thought.

"You know why I care." And he knew she knew. Because he admitted what he'd been holding back. "But now you have to face the reality of your feelings for me."

He saw Sam's face go from slightly calm to a shade of red he recognised as an 'angry' shade of red. It wasn't too late to back out of the whole entire operation. In fact, he'd probably show that he's got some sort of courage if he walked away from her and her childish behaviour. But he never opted for the easy option.

"WHY DO YOU CARE?"

This was frustrating him to no end.

"I TOLD YOU WHY! STOP BEING A-"

"YOU ARE SUCH A DORK!"

"A DORK THAT YOU LIKE!"

The girl stopped yelling and slapped a hand over her own mouth quickly. He wondered if the next thing she wanted to say would agree with his prior statement.

"It's true, isn't it."

"Y-yes, okay? So what? It changes nothing!" She could have been right. But Freddie shook his head quickly. Unbelievable, he thought.

Finally. Finally she said it.

But why did it feel weird to hear her admit something he's been wanting to hear for a long time - well, since their break up? Sam was no longer looking at him. He kept his gaze on her. That kiss and every single emotion that was running through his mind all fizzled away into nothingness. He didn't smile at first.

What did he do? He laughed. Yes, laughed like it was all a joke. He threw back his head and laughed loudly. She then looked at him with such hatred.

"You are an idiot."

With that, she turns around, grabs the bag and runs off, not looking back.

Freddie wants to run after her. Not really knowing why. But his feet are glued to the spot, unable to move an inch let alone a mile, which is where Sam now was. He let her go and never felt so much like an idiot in his life. Sam was so right. He was an idiot. He deserved to be ignored by her for the rest of his life. And he certainly didn't deserve to be her friend anymore, Carly or no Carly.

And he knew that.

But it didn't stop him from feeling like he'd done the right thing, even though it may have been the wrong approach. There was no way he could date her again. Not after last time.

The memories.

Sam had kissed him today. It was the type of kiss you give the love of your life after waiting a billion years to find them. It could have been "life-changing". It was "life-changing". Freddie slapped his forehead.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid!" He groaned, over and over. "You ARE an idiot."

While he cursed himself for being the idiot of the century, Angela appeared pretty much out of nowhere.

Actually, she was on a late lunch-break and had found Sam and Freddie, during their yelling match. She watched them, and Sam running off before approaching him, stopping his hand-forehead hitting before he gave himself permanent brain damage or something. It was her job to protect him from his own stupidity. What? Carly wasn't here anymore. So someone had to!

"It's your own fault," she says gently, grabbing his hand in comfort. "You let her go, easily."

"I know, Angela."

"The question is... are you prepared to do what it takes to get her back?"

It was a question he'd been dreading. And here it was, hanging around in front him like a thing that wouldn't go away anytime soon. Until he found the answer. He knew the answer and that was the problem. It's not like it was that simple. According to Angela, everything about this WAS simple. But she didn't know Sam.

"Look," she continues. "I know I don't know Sam. But I am a girl... so that should count for something?"

Freddie nods. She had a fair point there. Angela was a girl. Sam was ... well for all intents and purposes, still a girl. Girls are quite different to boys - in his opinion.

"What do you suggest I do?" Freddie asks her.

"For starters... you should really apologise for being a jerk."

It was refreshing to have a different girl calling him bad names. Angela, being the honest girl she was, hit the nail right on the head. He would need another bag of chocolate coated bacon to go along with that apology. Perhaps a bigger bag wouldn't hurt either. The boy looked at the girl and she smiled.

"What?" Freddie says. The smile was pretty which made Angela a pretty girl.

"Sam is a very lucky girl."

What was that? Sam is lucky? Why? All these questions raced through his brain. Until he realised what she meant. Freddie opened his mouth and closed it again, much like a goldfish, trying to find some words to spit out. He remained speechless.


	10. things are definitely what they seem

_**THE AFTERMATH OF iCARLY**_

_**Sam: things are definitely what they seem**_

* * *

><p>The thing about love is that things are not usually how they seem. They appear better than they are, because everything is sugar-coated. That was not the case here.<p>

Firstly, Brad ditched her for his family thing. Secondly, she kissed a nerd and liked it a little too much. Thirdly, after a fight she ran away from said nerd because she still loved him too. But she couldn't bring herself to say it to his face. And he laughed in her face. It was hurtful. It was humiliating.

The moment she got home, she stomped into her bedroom and glared at the iCarly photos stuck around her mirror. A happy looking Carly grinned her cute, girly smile.

"Oh what are YOU smiling about, Miss Prissy Pants?" Sam shouts at the photo, angrily.

Miss Prissy Pants said nothing. As expected.

It wasn't really useful yelling at something that obviously wouldn't respond. She needed Carly. The real Carly. She needed to tell her everything she was feeling, and that never happened in the history of the girl's life. Carly would listen though, and that counted for something in Sam's opinion. The brunette would comfort her just like all those other times in the past.

Carly wasn't here, and that made Sam angry. Freddie was a complete jerk, and that made her even angrier.

She wasn't sure if the kiss did anything. Sam sure felt like crying. But no tears came. Kissing him moments earlier, at the mall, felt like she could have been burning in a fire. Not that she'd experienced that kind of feeling before. That would be kind of weird, actually. Nope. That kiss meant everything to her, she put everything she had into it. Her feelings for him... all the pent up anger and frustration towards herself and him just exploding out of her.

Sam hated feeling sorry for herself. But that's how she was feeling. So right now, Sam hated herself. She hated Freddie too. But no surprises there. All the bacon in the world couldn't console her now. Whoa, things just got serious.

The knock on her door, startled her thoughts. She went to go and see who had the nerve to disturb her peace and quiet. And loneliness.

"Hey Sam," he says. "You never replied to my last text message. Is everything okay?" His timing was spot-on.

"Ye- No, actually. It's not okay." She decided to be honest with him. It's the least she could do for the boy who had done so much for her already.

"Can I come in?"

The girl nods and lets him in. She notices that he's had a hair cut, lost weight and quite possibly been working out. Most likely to try and get back with his ex-girlfriend, Tasha. Yes, Gibby Gibson was a fine specimen of boy currently. He'd changed his appearance just like that. Sam was actually impressed.

"So, what's up? Is Freddie being a jerk to you?"

How did he know this, she thought. It's not like Fredward would have been shouting it out to the world. They both sat in the living room, on the old couch and Gibby looked ready to pay Freddie a little visit with his mad boxing champion skills. And chances are, Freddie wouldn't have a chance. Gibby and Freddie actually had a fight soon after Sam and he broke up... Gibby was trying to be all macho and protective - he got the wrong idea when Carly told him the news. Freddie hadn't bothered but Sam kept in contact with Gibby, for some reason. She still didn't fully understand it herself.

"Can I tell you something that can't be told to anyone else?" Sam asks, looking at the boy. She always trusted the guy.

"Of course," he replies.

"I kissed Freddie."

There was a silence. Gibby grinned though, and Sam was kind of weirded out by his response. Before she slapped the smile off his face, he snapped back into a serious looking face and nodded in understanding. He cleared his throat, kind of like a professional shrink.

"...and you hated it?"

"No."

"So you liked it."

"Yeah..."

"What's the problem? You kissed him. You liked it. Chances are, you still have feelings for him."

The honest opinion cut through her sadness, and she could feel her stomach twist around uncomfortably. Gibby was right as usual. Sure the kid had his moments of complete and utter insanity, but this time, she couldn't escape the fact that he was speaking the complete and utter truth. Damn him!

"It's not exactly rocket science, Sam."

"I know but," she's about to say 'what if it fails again like last time?' or 'what if our friendship is over when Carly returns?' She couldn't let that happen.

"You're afraid right?" Gibby says, as-matter-of-factly. "And that's common. But you gotta get over that. Remember what I told you?"

"Live for the present, not the past or future. I remember."

"So take my advice. Tell him exactly how you feel. No denying your feelings, and absolutely no arguing with him."

Sam opens her mouth to retaliate but nothing comes out. All her thoughts disappear, and she's imagining the kiss she had with Freddie not so long ago. Gibby stands up, pats her head and lets himself out. Perhaps, she thought, it was time to put everything aside, and just go for it. Without checking the time on her phone, the girl grabs her purse and follows the boy outside of her house, locks up, says "goodbye" to him and makes her way to the Bushwell Plaza.

Gibby had given her some hope that not all was lost because of her stupidity. And it felt good, she wasn't going to lie. Maybe, just maybe things would be okay.

It's not long before she gets to the lobby, and the doorman is walking around, shouting to no one in particular.

"STAY OUT OF MY LOBBY!" He screeches to Sam, who pokes her tongue at him cheekily and goes to the elevator.

Sam's not exactly sure what she's going to say to him when he opens his door. Perhaps she should just come clean about everything, and try her best to not call him a 'nub', or 'dork' or 'nerd' this time. She just hoped that she wasn't too late. The door seemed so far away, and every step seemed to push it further.

The girl finally stood in front of the Benson's door, and raised up a fist to knock but froze when she heard a lot of giggling coming from inside. Uh oh, she thought.

"Stop it Freddie!" It was Angela's sweet sounding voice. "You need to... be serious!"

"You said you weren't ticklish..." says an amused deep sounding voice.

"I lied! I lied, okay! Just please... stop!"

"Never!"

She had forgotten about Angela. It was a fact that came into this complicated equation.

The hand she was about to use to knock, dropped by her side in defeat. Sam backed away from the door, visions of the two of them - Angela and Freddie, wrestling and tickling each other on his living room floor... maybe even in their underwear. She scowled and wanted to punch him just like she felt like she was punched in the heart. It hurt like hell.

No looking back as she turned and ran back to the elevator, ignoring another screech from the crazy Lewbert and ran as fast as she could back home.

"Sorry Gibby," she says to herself. "I couldn't do it. I was too afraid. Besides... I can't compete with her."

The emotions were overwhelming and the thoughts of what Freddie and Angela could be doing with or to each other were drowning her in misery. It was suffocating her, as she hated feeling so sad. But it was like she had no control over what she was feeling. She also hated not being in control of her own emotions.

Carly wasn't here to comfort her. Freddie wasn't here to... Freddie just wasn't here. Brad wasn't an option. She'd already seen Gibby. There was no one else.

There was no more chocolate covered bacon left. But it was just as well, since she didn't want any more reminders of the boy she'd now lost to a world of perfection, girliness and sweetness. That is, a girl called Angela. She couldn't believe that he would do something so stupid, she couldn't believe he was the same as all the other jerks. This was the very last straw. There was only so much heart-string pulling a girl could take. She was breaking her tough outer layer, slowly, but surely.

Everything was as it seemed right now. She stared at the photos of Carly and Freddie, smiling at her, without a care in the world. The people in those pictures had a much better life, filled with nothing but hopes and dreams for the future. It made her feel sick. That much happiness in one photograph? Seriously?

It was likely that she would never speak to Freddie again. It was even more likely that the two of them would never be friends again. And Carly would be so disappointed. It was all so hopeless.

For the first time in a long time, Sam Puckett threw herself on top of her bed and just... cried.


	11. what is life?

_**THE AFTERMATH OF iCARLY**_

_**Freddie: what is life?**_

* * *

><p>It had happened so quickly. They caught the bus from Ridgeway mall, right to his apartment. And they were involved in a tickle war. Freddie was winning.<p>

The girl underneath his hands wriggled and giggled whilst telling him to stop the tickle torture. It was her own fault for telling him she wasn't ticklish. At least, that was his version of the story. Whilst he tickled her, he felt a sense of guilt wash over him - this is something Sam and he would usually do. Ugh, Sam.

"We need to focus here," says Angela, through her giggles.

"I know," he replies.

It had come down to this. Angela offered to concoct a plan with him so he could get Sam back. Not that he was entirely sure that anything would work. Not after he had laughed in her face after she confessed exactly what he'd wanted to hear. But it was unbelievable to him. He's not even sure why he laughed. It just kind of... happened.

Putting aside the fact that he was probably the biggest jerk on the face of the Earth right now, he looked at the girl and let her sit up.

Angela sat up and immediately fixed her hair, which was all messed up from the tickle torture before. Freddie watched her be all fussy and it reminded him of Carly. Carly had always cared about her appearance. If anyone touched her hair, you wouldn't have lived to tell the tale. It was weird that she became so "Sam-like" when it came down to what she looked like - and in particular her hair.

"Now, we have step one. That's your apology."

"Along with the chocolate-covered bacon," Freddie nods as if it would solve his problems with Sam. Angela cringes. "What?"

"Girls tend to respond better to flowers, or jewellery."

It was Freddie's turn to cringe.

He imagined the reaction from the blonde headed demon if he rocked up on her doorstep with the cliché 'red roses' and 'a box of chocolates'. It involved the chocolates being snatched from his trembling hands, the flowers being stomped on and him being thrown down the stairs at the front of her house with a few swear words thrown in for good measure. He shuddered at the thought.

"I don't think that's a good-" Freddie began.

"Do you want Sam back or not?" Angela interrupted.

"Yeah but-"

"You're getting her flowers."

"But-"

"No buts! This is important!"

"Angela you-"

"Shush!"

That was final. It would only make matters worse for him. But who was he to go against "girl advice" from a girl? She obviously was speaking from experience. Freddie sighed and decided he could always sneak Sam a bag of chocolate-covered bacon later, without Angela seeing it. Wait... he wanted to go see Sam secretly? Apparently he did. Pushing that thought aside, he watched Angela closely. She was quite a pretty girl.

The girl beside him wrote something down and handed it to him wordlessly. He looked down at it and screwed up his nose. She had to be kidding!

"There's NO way Sam's gonna like a poem," the boy says, scrunching up the paper.

"All girls love poetry!" Haha, this girl didn't know Sam at all. Freddie shook his head.

"Not her."

There was a silence as the two of them stared at each other, not angrily or anything. It was just a thoughtful silence. The type your mom gives you when you ask "what's for dinner?"- then she inevitably says "food". Then you go into your own thoughtful silence, wondering what is actually for dinner.

Freddie made a mental note to ask his mother what was for dinner that night.

"So, she doesn't like flowers, jewellery or poetry?" Angela asks, eyes full of disbelief.

"That's Samantha Puckett for you."

He then wondered if he had jumped to that conclusion a little too quickly. He recalled what Carly had said a while ago, something about her just wanting to be accepted and loved. Did that mean flowers and chocolates? Or maybe it just meant spending his spare time with her - and not laughing in her face.

As he buried his face in his hands. He felt a hand pat his shoulder softly, as though it provided comfort to his problem. Yeah, the problem of being an idiot.

"There, there," she says. "Maybe... maybe you should stick to what you know she likes... even if it is bacon."

Bacon. Sam's most favourite thing in the whole world - according to her, that is. Freddie looks up at Angela, who is still there, with her pretty looking smile. He reaches over and touches her hair gently and sees her face slowly turn red. She was blushing. He pulled his hand away.

"Sorry."

"It's okay."

"Not really."

Angela giggles and rests her head on his shoulder. He immediately smells her shampoo - strawberries. He didn't mind her lying on him. He didn't mind at all.

"Angela?"

"Hmm?" He notices the dream-like sound to her voice and her eyes are closed.

"I am sorry for messing everything up."

"Feelings can't be helped..."

Her voice trails off and Freddie feels another guilty wave wash right over him.

The girl raises her head, and their noses are very close to touching. It would be easy to lean across and kiss her. At least that's what he was urging himself to do. Well, one half of him screamed out "yes" and the other screamed out "no". The screaming got so loud that he felt a headache coming on.

Their eyes met. His flickered to her lips - the same lips that pecked his cheek on the night of their first date. They looked soft. His hand reached up and he brushed a finger over them slightly. He heard her breath hitch in her throat. The guilt faded slightly, but was still there. He knew he'd never forgive himself for doing this. As he leaned closer and closer, Angela's eyes widened almost to the size of saucers. Freddie's finger left her lips and replaced it with his own mouth.

It was happening. And he was enjoying himself far too much.

The same could not be said for the girl whose lips he was attached to. She was stiff as board the whole time and finally snapped back into reality, enough to force him away from her face. They looked at one another, not taking their eyes off of one another.

"Freddie!" Angela gasped.

A lot of thoughts were running through his mind currently. He had kissed her, fully on the lips. She had pushed him away and was now probably hating him. The worst thing was though, he wanted to kiss her again. It's not that he was a jerk... Sam and he weren't dating each other.

So... why did he feel so damned guilty about it? Perhaps, says a little voice deep inside him, because Sam means a lot more to you than you realise.

"I need to-" starts the girl, standing up quickly.

"Don't leave!" Freddie says, grabbing her hand, pulling her back down to him. His brain is screaming at him to stop. "I've wanted to do that since we met."

"But not like this!"

There were tears in her eyes. Damn it, he thought. Damn myself for allowing it to happen. His insides instantly knotted up. She was going to burst into tears and it was all his fault. He had always promised himself that the one thing he'd never do was make a girl cry. He had failed big time. Here was a pretty girl sitting in front of him, starting to sob. His heart pounded and he wanted to flush his own head down a toilet.

Angela sniffed and he quickly pulled her into a hug. She sobbed into his shoulder - like some cliché movie scene from a bad rom-com.

Freddie held her tightly, comforting her. Not that he was sorry for what had happened, such as kissing her. Oh no, he thought. He could kiss her again and agaoin and still not apologise for it. The girl was most likely a good kisser. Just like Sam. But something about Sam's kisses were full of something he hadn't felt whilst kissing Angela. The passion just exploded from both him and Sam. Much like the time they... well... shared their first time.

"I c-can't kiss you," she sobs. "It wouldn't b-be right. Sam l-loves you, a-and you love Sam."

He doesn't say anything, and holds her tighter, trying to make her hurt go away. If only his feelings for Sam weren't existent. But you can't control the way you feel about another person. Ugh, feelings. He rests his chin on top of the girl's head.

"Freddie, I like you."

The girl trembles now as she looks up at him, he looks down at her. The boy wipes the tears from her eyes and strokes her back and her hair gently, in comfort. He doesn't want to tell her exactly what he's thinking. Because it involves physical intimacy, which she'd be against, because of him and Sam and their feelings for one another.

Ugh, he thought. Feelings.

"Freddie, I..."

His finger slips under her chin, tilting her face up. He wasn't even sure why kissing her seemed like a great idea - it just did. And that explanation just covered it all. She was there, she said she liked him. She said she couldn't kiss him. But she didn't say she didn't WANT to. There was a difference, in his opinion.

The opportunity reared its head once more. This time though, Angela closes her eyes, and she's expecting to be kissed by him this time.

Their lips meet in a soft and gentle embrace, and they're both kissing each other. Freddie's stomach knots up even further, as the memory of the times that he and Sam had kissed springs into his mind. He tries to block them out and focus on the girl with him now. Her hands slide around his neck and her head tilts more to the side.

It felt nice. It wasn't meant to feel nice. It was meant to feel wrong, and he was meant to forget his thoughts about kissing her. Damn it! He thought.

Her lips didn't pull away for a while. He wanted to punch himself in the stomach and yell to his reflection WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU? But it didn't happen. Angela was a lovely girl. And he was kissing her. There was nothing else to it. Carly, he thought. I have screwed everything up now. He was definitely a jerk. There was no point in denying it. Not that he ever did, since the thing with Sam came out of nowhere.

Sam.

He still loves her more than he could ever say or think about. The only question that could be asked of himself now was: "What is life?"


	12. a date with a fudge-making legend

_**THE AFTERMATH OF iCARLY**_

_**Sam: a date with a fudge-making legend**_

* * *

><p>After crying the whole night, and not getting much sleep, it was going to be a fairly laid-back day.<p>

That was until her phone rang. The name on the screen was Brad and his cheerful picture made her feel a little less sad. There was one thing that she wanted to accomplish and that was to stop feeling sad. She hated feeling sad, just as much as sad people around her made her angry too. It just wasn't her thing.

"Hello Brad," she says. He must've sense something was wrong, in her voice. Damn it!

"Hey Sam, are you okay?" Brad replies, voice full of concern.

"I'm fine." Feeling anything but.

"You don't sound fine."

There was a slience between them, and she couldn't bring herself to tell him what was really happening. Telling Gibby was bad enough - although he was an okay kid to talk to. But this was Brad, the fudge-making legend who seemed to always be in a good mood.

"But I am." Liar, she told herself. "What's up?"

"I was actually wondering if you would like to see a movie with me, I have these tickets and-"

"I'd love to." She cut off the rest of his sentence.

Anything to get her out of the house and away from her own misery was bound to be a good thing. Sam thought it's exactly what she needed. A movie date with Brad. She could hear him smiling that cute-looking smile and it seemed to be contagious. Yep, she thought, a movie date with Brad.

"Great! I'll come around soon. We can grab a smoothie before going."

"Sure. See you ... soon."

He chuckles and he says 'bye' and hangs up.

She decides to put on something a little bit nicer this time, rather than the same clothes she'd been wearing all week. Not that he'd care, probably. It was weird to think of Brad being her "boyfriend" ... especially when Freddie had told her that he still loved her not even twenty-four hours ago.

Only twenty-four hours ago? It seemed like a year ago.

The knock on her door snapped her back into the present, and she whisked out of her room and opened the door. She could see Brad was checking her out. She did a kind of sexy-looking pose - and he grabbed his phone out and snapped a photo of her. She wasn't sure why she felt like being so damned girly today. Perhaps Freddie had something to do with it... and the way he had broken her heart. She tried not to think about it.

"You look hot," he says.

"Thanks dude," she replies. "You don't look too shabby either."

Brad grins and offers her his arm like a gentleman. The thought of Freddie doing the same thing crept into her mind, and she immediately pushed it aside. No, she thought. Be with Brad, Puckett. He was nice to invite you out somewhere, so be with him today. Not with "you-know-who".

"I brought you a little something."

Please be fudge, please be fudge, please be- she kept hoping. Until he brought out a plastic box with a blue ribbon around it, with a card the had her name on it, complete with smiley-face. Brad was truly a good guy.

"Yes!" It was fudge. She turned to face him and then tackled him in a hug. "Thank you! You're the best!"

"No problem, I like making fudge for people."

He chuckles. She nods and recalls him saying the exact same thing after he presented Carly, herself and... "you-know-who" with a similar looking box filled with delicious, sweet fudge. They appreciated the fudge, for sure. Especially Sam. Who loved all things food-related. This is why she had some sort of affection towards the guy. Which is kind of why Carly had suspected her love for Brad - that and a stupid computer app.

They walked to his car, he opened her door and hopped in on the driver's side. Off they went, Sam nibbling on a piece of home-made fudge as they drove down the road.

There was a parking spot not far from the movie-theatre and they walked together into the Groovy Smoothie, greeting the shop owner. T-Bo looked at Sam and then at Brad and smirked before offering them an avocado on a stick. They both declined his thoughtful offer and wondered how on Earth he could have put an avocado onto a stick - since they had a big seed right in the middle of them. Brad and Sam looked at one other and shrugged, finding a table.

Sam ordered the smoothies and paid for it with Brad's money. Ahh, some things will never change. She brought them to the table.

"Thanks Sam," says Brad, taking the cup.

"Don't mention it," she replies, taking a huge gulp and instantly getting a huge brain-freeze. "Arrgghh!"

"What's wrong?"

"Brain-freeze!"

The boy moves around to the other side where she's sitting and puts his hands around her head and massages around it ever so slightly. She flinches as he touches her, and he'd be on the ground by now if it wasn't Brad. But since it was Brad, and her brain-freeze was subsiding greatly, she let it slide.

It felt quite nice.

"Is that better?" It sure was.

"Yeah, a little..."

She wanted him to keep going, despite her brain-freeze kind of being finished already. But she kind of liked the feeling of his hands massaging her head. As she thought earlier, it felt quite nice. Brad, quite oblivious to the fact that Sam was leading him on, continued. He was a smart boy, but not too smart.

The massage ended, and Sam was a bit disappointed. But carried on, this time sipping her smoothie much more carefully. Brad looked at her and sipped his too.

"So I wanted to ask you about Freddie."

Sam choked on the mouthful of smoothie and recovered quickly. Brad's eyes met hers, and hers widened a lot. She placed the cup down and cleared her throat. As she fiddled with the straw, her voice dropped to a more quiet level of volume. He wasn't about to look away, and she knew it. At least until she had explained it.

"What about him?" It was all she could manage.

"You two fight a lot." Not a question or anything. He was just stating the fact of their weird relationship.

"Yeah, your point?"

"I heard him say that he still loves you."

Sam's mouth opens and closes, much like a goldfish. She fiddles some more with the cup in front of her, and keeps her eyes focused on his eyes. Brad doesn't look away. He's determined to crack the case of Sam and Freddie. It hurts her to think about what exactly was going on between her and "you-know-who".

The silence overwhelms the both of them. He drops it for now but Sam knows she's far from safe. He'll be constantly wondering, until she finally spills her guts.

T-Bo walks by, and looks at Brad, then looks at Sam, who are awkwardly sitting together as a sort-of but not really couple. Sam can read his expression and she strongly resists the urge to punch him where it most hurts. It's not long before T-Bo catches the drift of Sam's glare and scampers off back behind the counter.

"Some people." Sam comments with a bit of a scowl. They should really mind their own beeswax, she thinks.

Brad nods and taps his cup on the table. Sam does the same. They look at each other from across the table. Their hands are placed in front of themselves, and almost touch each other. One brush against his hand, and Sam knew she'd be in a lot of trouble. She studied his eyes, and his nose and his lips. Those lips.

"We should go see the movie now," says Brad, suddenly standing up and disposes of his empty smoothie cup.

"Uhh, yeah," says Sam.

They walk out of the Groovy Smoothie and waste no time in getting to the movie theatre - where the line is pretty much out the door. Sam groans and Brad doesn't look all that happy either. He asks if she still wants to see the movie. She says 'yeah' but she really wanted to go back home, curl up in her bed and pretend the world didn't exist.

Brad and Sam stood in line, and passed the time by making small-talk. Something that she didn't really appreciate usually. But today, it was different.

"I have a confession," says the boy, next to her.

"What's that?" she replies.

"I kinda sorta uhh..."

"Spit it out."

"Like you."

"Beg your pardon?"

"I, uhh, I like you, Sam."

Sam looks up at him and notices he's looking quite serious about this new-found confession. His eyes widen as they catch eye contact with one another, and suddenly look away, pretending they didn't just stare at each other. You know, like you would do with someone you have a huge... HUGE crush on. He or she looks at you, and you're already looking - but as soon as they do, you know you're toast if you don't quickly pretend you weren't just drooling over how cute he or she looks today.

Yeah, it happens, believe me. It just doesn't happen to Sam Puckett all that often. Until now... with the fudge-making dude. Well, he's pretty cool, you can't deny it.

The two of them don't say very much, until they're sitting next to each other in the cinema, waiting for the movie to start. Of course, there's all the annoying adverts about a new car, health insurance, some kind of animal shelter and a whole range of other stuff that no one pays any attention to.

"Don't you just hate movie adverts?" Brad finally whispers.

"Yeah," agrees Sam, with a laugh. "I mean, who cares about hearing aids? No one in this movie theatre is over thirty."

They laugh and carry on, until the person behind them kicks their seats and tells them to "pipe down" which only causes them to laugh harder - because... who says that? Pipe down. Both of them were trying to calm down, before that same person threatens to call on the usher and "have them thrown out".

After the credits were rolling, and everyone had left, they were the only two sitting in the dimly lit theatre.

"Thanks for asking me out today," says Sam. She usually makes a point to take everything for granted - such as being asked on a date.

"No problem, Sam." Brad replies, his eyes looking straight into hers. "I had fun."

There was silence.

Neither of them wanted to walk out of the cinema, and Sam could tell that something was quickly turning into "a moment". One moment of something she recognised as "sparks" or "feelings". The similar feelings she'd experienced when she kissed Freddie.

Damn it! She wasn't meant to think about it or HIM! The girl quickly turned to face the boy seated quietly beside her.

"Brad."

"Yeah?"

"I... I had fun too."

"Good."

Sam couldn't even take her eyes off of his. Brad didn't want to look away from her. He grabbed her hand quickly and slowly started leaning in towards her.


	13. spying isn't exactly a crime

_**THE AFTERMATH OF iCARLY**_

_**Freddie: spying isn't exactly a crime **_

* * *

><p>Let's rewind a little here.<p>

It was the day before, Sam was tucked up in her apartment, without a date. Freddie was still wondering what life was, and kissing a pretty girl called Angela who supposedly liked him. The feeling was mutual, he thought. But it didn't feel as passionate as the feelings he felt when Sam was around.

It wasn't until Freddie and Angela pulled away for some air that he realised perhaps he'd jumped to the wrong conclusion too fast. She was nice enough though.

They both felt the need to catch their breaths before continuing what they had started. That is, if they were going to continue. The girl decided that what they were doing was very wrong and told him to go and find Sam to apologise to her. Which is the whole reason she had come home with him in the first place, to help him sort out the mess that were his feelings for Samantha Puckett.

One thing had led to another and... well, you read what happened. The unthinkable! And yet, they did it anyway. Twice. Once was bad enough.

After Freddie apologises for being a jerk to Angela, but still doesn't apologise for what had happened between them, she leaves him to his thoughts. His thoughts of "why me" and "what is life" and "you're a complete idiot who doesn't deserve a second chance". He kind of wished Carly was here to talk him through it all.

The next morning came after a very restless night. And unbeknown to him, Sam had received a phone call to be asked on a movie date. See where it all connects here?

He walked out of his room and got himself some breakfast before realising he wasn't the least bit hungry. Yeah, he thought. Guilt does that to you. He'd kissed Angela. Sam had kissed him. He knew which kiss he preferred. But he also knew which girl was healthier for him to be in a relationship with. Carly would know what to say in a time like this. She was full of relationship advice.

"What would Carly say?" Freddie asks himself, out loud.

Probably that he's an idiot. And probably that Angela is right about... well everything. The truth was that everything that Angela had told him, was pretty much what he'd expect his best friend to say as well. Carly was more honest than Sam. In fact, Carly couldn't lie to save her life. She'd get severe looking rashes all over her face.

It was like she was allergic to not telling the truth.

Sam had often said that if the girl was ever in a life-threatening situation which caused her to lie, she'd be as good as dead. He recalls being very judgemental. But the blonde had a point.

He wondered what she was doing now. Maybe she was plotting some sort of plan to murder him in his sleep. After all, he did laugh at her after she said something he thought he'd never hear. Something to do which having feelings for him. And he'd confessed his feelings before that... he was sure that it was a joke.

Idiot, he told himself. Just go over to her house and freaking apologise already!

What if she doesn't forgive me? What if she's so angry that I lose a limb? Or end up in a coma? Or dead? All these petty thoughts washed through his mind, but one thought overruled them all, with a fighting passion. So what? You're the idiot. She said she loves you - in a sort of roundabout way - and you declined everything. You deserve any sort of punishment from her... don't you think?

It was unfair. But, he did have a point. And also he felt a little stupid even arguing with himself.

He grabbed his jacket and his umbrella because the forecast called for a little rain later that afternoon, and who knows when he'd be back home. This apology thing could possibly take all day. But, he thought. It will be worth it if Sam forgives him after all this madness. And hey... maybe they'll start dating again.

Wishful thinking, Benson. Wishful thinking.

He left the apartment, locked the front door and made his way down to the lobby. On his way out, he bumped into Spencer Shay, Carly's wacky older brother. He hadn't spoken to him in what seemed like three years. But it was only last month. Spencer smiled and waved. He had become less wacky since his sister left.

"Hey Freddo," he greets. "How are you?"

"I've been better," says Freddie. "How are you?"

"I'm good. I have a date."

"A date? With whom?"

"Pretty sure it's with a woman."

Freddie couldn't help but let out a laugh, and he felt a little bit better. Laughter, as they say, is the best medicine. For everything. Spencer and his "lady-friends". It reminded him of all the times he, Sam and Carly had walked into the Shay apartment only to find him wrapped around some girl who he'd met less than five minutes ago.

This one, apparently, he'd been seeing for a little while. Freddie had heard about it when he'd talked to the man last month. That and if he'd heard from Carly.

"How's Sam?" Spencer suddenly asks.

"Sam is... Sam."

"Well that's not vague at all."

The boy looked at his feet and moved them nervously. He wasn't sure if telling Spencer the whole story was such a good idea - since Spencer was pretty much Sam's older brother too. He'd mentioned that to Freddie the first time he and Sam started dating. It sounded like a warning - the type that a suspicious dad of a daughter would say. Freddie still recalls the coldness in Spencer's eyes. He shuddered.

"I gotta get going," he says, quickly.

"Yeah, take care kiddo. Give my regards to Sam."

Now how on Earth did he know that he was on his way to see Sam? Freddie shrugged the thought off and made his way out the front door and onto the bust Seattle street, which was bustling with morning traffic. He walks past a lot of buildings before stopping in at the super-market.

He's at the cash register, paying for what he was buying and voice behind him calls out. A voice he hadn't heard in quite sometime.

"Fred-man!" It says. "Wait up will ya!"

He turns around to see a much less chubby and could it be? More handsome looking boy approach him. Yes, it was Gibby. He waves frantically and suddenly trips over his own feet. People standing at the checkouts point and laugh, Freddie tries to pretend he doesn't know him. That is until the boy is standing next to him.

"Hi Gibby," he replies. "Long time no see."

"Yeah," says Gibby, looking around. "Listen, you got a minute? There's something I think you gotta know about Sam."

"What about her?" A pang of guilt wrenched his stomach towards his throat. He swallowed.

"Not here," he whispers, like he's some kind of secret agent spy.

Freddie looks at the guy and figures that he hasn't really changed at all. Still the same weird dude that used to help them with iCarly things, including entertaining "bits". They got a lot of hits from stuff that the kid joined in with. Plus, he was a pretty decent boy to begin with. It helped.

He paid for the item and Gibby followed him out, bouncing around energetically like some school-girl who knows you have a crush on someone. He did, but that was beside the point.

"Sam likes you."

A little too late for that one, Gib. If only you'd appeared like... I don't know, the beginning of this story! That would have saved a WHOLE lotta grief on Sam's part.

"I know."

"...and... you like her too?" Nothing gets past the grand-master detective, Gibby Gibson.

"Ye- No. Maybe?" The answer wasn't exactly reassuring anyone. Freddie shifted uncomfortably. "I'm actually on my way to apologise to her."

Gibby looked at him like he had grown an extra head. The boys were both thinking the same thing. Apologising to Samantha Puckett was like organising your own funeral. It just didn't make sense. Yet, Freddie knew if he didn't, the friendship and everything else potentially on the cards was going to be off the table.

"I'll pray for you, dude."

"Thanks?"

Yep, same old Gibby, he thought.

Freddie left Gibby and proceeded down the street, until he approached Sam's house. There was a fancy looking car pulled up out the front, and he was quite certain Mrs Puckett hadn't the skill set to afford a car like that. He didn't know much about cars, but this one would have been classified as "sexy". He grinned despite everything else he was feeling and it instantly vanished as he saw someone he knew step out of the car.

It was Brad.

Hold the darn phone, he thought. If Brad's here, and he's visiting Sam with his car then that would mean... No, no surely not. The thoughts subsided slightly and Freddie approached the scene with caution. He hid in some shrubbery on the side of Sam's house and waited patiently, to see what the heck was going on.

"You look hot," he says. He sounds like he means it too.

Oi! Freddie thought. Get your FILTHY eyes off her, fudge making dude!

"Thanks dude," she replies. "You don't look too shabby either."

Sam was sounding not quite like her obnoxious self. She sounded kind of... reserved? That can't be right.

Freddie was very worried, not only about the change in her voice, but the fact that she'd let Brad take her on some sort of weird date. It was a complete slap in the face, three times over. Then again... he knew he deserved it - and much worse.

Here he was, spying on Sam and Brad, like some weirdo spy guy.

It didn't exactly feel normal.

But what's a boy to do when his girl is swept off her feet by a much more decent guy? Plus there was a present that he gave her too. But he didn't see what it was for they had disappeared into his car fairly quickly. Damn his luck today.

Brad was officially not a nice dude, concludes Freddie and hops out of his hiding spot.


	14. it just came out of nowhere

_**THE AFTERMATH OF iCARLY**_

_**Sam: it just came out of nowhere**_

* * *

><p>Oh God, thought Sam. Don't panic, Puckett. Just play it cool. What? Are you insane? The boy is going to KISS you! How can you stay calm? Carly would. Oh, forget Carly for one flipping second and focus here! Brad, fudge dude, is about to place his lips upon yours in a passionate kind of kiss thing! Panic. Panic. RETREAT!<p>

"So we should probably leave," she says, quickly standing up. It was an avoidance technique she'd often used. And usually it worked.

"Okay."

The two of them walked out, avoiding the dirty looks of the usher who was waiting for the whole cinema to be empty before cleaning up after everyone. They were the last people in there and hence delayed his work. He was the least bit impressed. They waved nicely anyway, and headed for the front door.

Driving with Brad seemed so nice, it made her stomach queasy. Or maybe the fudge was causing her the trouble.

Brad was nice enough to not mention the fact he had tried to kiss her, or the fact that she had refused to accept his kind gesture. Perhaps, she thought, I'm more messed up than I originally thought. She wondered if that room was still vacant at Troubled Waters Mental Hospital. Pushing this aside, she noticed that the car had stopped.

"Thanks for..." her voice trailed off. What was she meant to say? 'Thank you for not kissing me'? 'Thank you for the distraction'?

"...everything?" Brad offered, with a little smile.

"Yeah, thanks for everything."

Before she got out of the car, Brad placed one hand on her arm, silently telling her to "wait". She obliged, and waited, knowing that really, it was a bad idea. Or a good one, she thought, hopefully.

What was she thinking? She can't be into Brad like that! What about Freddie? What about her kiss with Freddie? What about everything she'd told him? Everything that was running through her mind, causing all this insanity? Brad wasn't supposed to be there, it just so happened that he was nice enough to provide a momentary distraction. If she had feelings for Brad... where did that leave her unresolved feelings for Freddie? She could feel a headache coming on. Her heart twisted.

"Sam, about before-"

"Don't mention it."

He had been doing so well. Sam sighed and leant back on the headrest admiring how damned cute he looked right now, all modest and such. Maybe modest was not the right word. He just looked cute, okay?

The girl felt his hand stroking hers ever so gently.

No, she thought. No, that's not happening! But it was. And she liked it. She was ready to flee. But something made her stay in the car a little longer. There were spots of rain on the windshield of his car. The droplets got heavier and heavier until it poured. Then it just happened. He leant over and kissed her quickly.

"Sorr-" he started to say, but her lips were on his before he could get it out.

Sam's stomach knotted up with guilt, until she pushed it aside completely - almost completely and focused on kissing the boy in front of her. Brad was a nice guy... he had wanted to kiss her. She knew that there was a chance that nothing would happen with Freddie anyway, seeing as he laughed in her face. And that hurt.

The kiss was nice. That's all. Nothing ultra mind-blowingly spectacular. When it ended, she didn't feel anything different towards him. Brad smiled politely.

"Uhh, thanks," she murmured. It was a bit awkward for the both of them now.

"I'm gonna... go."

"Y-yeah. Me too."

Brad opened the door and started getting out. Sam sat there until she realised that she was meant to be hopping out of the car, and not him. He stuck his head back in. She managed some kind of laugh before getting out in the pouring rain. She didn't really care much that it was raining. He said his last 'goodbye' and drove off.

The girl stared after the car and turned to face her house. A very wet, soggy looking nerd stood in front of her gate, holding a bag of something. The water was dripping in his eyes. She walked up to him slowly, regretting everything that happened in the past... fifteen minutes. Was he waiting here this whole time? And what the heck was he doing here anyway? Sam instantly started yelling at him.

"Benson! What the hell are you doing here?"

"I came to apologise to you." He yells as well. Maybe the rain is making it harder for clear communication.

"Apologise? For what?" She was feigning ignorance. But she wanted him to admit that he was being a jerk and then they could move on.

"For being a jerk."

There it was. The apology she was expecting. But it couldn't have come at a worse time. Not after she shared a kiss with Brad. Not after overhearing something bizarre on the other side of his door last night. Not after everything he did and said to her. Nope. Sam Puckett couldn't accept his apology.

"I don't accept your apology."

"I know. But I'm hoping that this will help..."

He reaches over through the bucketing rain, and grabs her tightly and smacks his mouth onto hers. It's like he wasn't thinking about what he was doing. He was kissing her. And not in the way he'd kissed her before. Not in the way Brad's kiss felt. Everything, and I mean, everything went into this one huge kiss.

Sam didn't pull away. But she didn't kiss him back. She stood there, and waited until he pulled away for a breath. Then raised her hand ready to slap him across the face.

"Wait!" Freddie shouts, grabbing her hand. "Before you hit me-"

"Why should I listen to you?"

"Because it's important that-"

"I hate you!"

"You don't! Stop lying to yourself! You know that I know that y-"

"No!" Sam yells back. "You hurt me, Freddie Benson! What's more, I confessed how I felt! You told me you loved me and I believed you! I go around to see you only to find you invited Angela to your place! Then you kiss me! And then you laugh at me! What's next?"

"Marry me."

There was nothing but the sound of rain as the two of them caught their breaths from yelling and kissing, their eyes don't leave each others, it's like a never-ending staring competition.

Sam couldn't believe that he just asked her a most ridiculous request. Why on Earth would she even consider something so preposterous? He was insane for thinking otherwise. But then again, the dork had always been insane. Thanks to his mother, of course. The girl glares at the boy in front of her and folds her arms, not even caring that she's soaked to the skin by now from all that pouring rain. She can tell that Freddie's getting cold. Not that she cares.

"Come inside. Your mom will kill me if she finds out I kept you in the rain for so long." She doesn't even know why she's being so nice right now.

She unlocks the door and steps inside, letting him follow her in. She tells him to wait in the living room and then brings out some towels for both of them to dry off. It was just an awkward time between Sam and Freddie. They avoided eye contact, until Freddie broke the silence.

"I didn't get an answer," he says.

"I don't think I owe you one." And she was right, she didn't. Not after all the hurt he'd caused her - and the sleepless nights a plenty. This boy was an idiot.

"Still-"

"Can we just not talk about it?"

Freddie closed his mouth and kept quiet. Sam watched him as he dried himself off and almost forgot about her own wet clothes and such.

Maybe she should get changed. In fact, whilst he was occupied in his own thoughts, she slipped into her room momentarily and threw on the first clothes she could find that were dry and warm. Thoughts of the day rang throughout her mind.

Brad taking her for a smoothie and watching a movie. Brad giving her fudge which was delicious - and she ate too much of it. Brad trying to kiss her. Brad successfully kissing her. Kissing Brad. The guilt. Finding Freddie standing in the rain, waiting for her. Freddie apologising. Freddie asking her to marry him. Where did THAT come from? Was he just so guilty that he was resorting to committing her for a lifetime of marriage? She hoped that it was just guilt.

Sam could have laughed if she wasn't so hurt, confused and guilt-ridden. That was a lot of emotions all wrapped up in one person. The limit was close to being reached. When it was... exploding will most likely occur.

A knock of her bedroom door, as she was drying her hair and staring at her reflection, shook her out of her memory.

"Sam, can I come in?" Freddie's voice says, from the other side of the door.

"Why? Are you going to ask to have children with me too?" Sam spits out, not opening her door. "It wasn't very funny, you know."

"It wasn't a joke. Please? Let me in."

The girl sighed and dropped her tough-girl act long enough to be nice and let him in. Perhaps he would explain what he meant by his proposal. Maybe. Just maybe.

Freddie walks in, sees her drying her hair and goes to sit on her bed, admiring her room. He had been inside it before - many times. A couple those were when they were making out. Once was after a huge fight which seemed worse than usual. Carly had sent him over to apologise. He found her, alone, at her desk, staring at herself in the mirror. Something he'd never seen Sam do before. It was weird back then. Not so weird now. Everything has since changed so dramatically.

Sam continues what she's doing, ignoring the fact that he was sitting on her bed, and that she could be wrapped in his arms, or some romantic crap like that. One thing was for sure, she hated, and I mean HATED romantic crap.


	15. hypothetically maybe

**_THE AFTERMATH OF iCARLY_**

**_Freddie: hypothetically maybe_**

* * *

><p>What was he going to say?<p>

He was sure that whatever came out of his mouth in the next five to ten minutes would result in him a) being hurt or b) another kiss.

Freddie desperately clung onto the latter reason.

The truth was, nothing else mattered right now. He was totally focused on Sam, who was avoiding all eye-contact. Why on Earth he asked her to marry him was completely baffling to him. He had skipped a lot of other things... dating, moving in, talking about their potential future... nope. He asked her to MARRY him. Like an idiot he held onto a belief that she'd say "yes" and everything would fall into place. He didn't blame her for not throwing her response out there, much like his proposal was.

The only other option was to sit here, on her bed, and wait for her answer. He knew he'd be waiting quite a while though. He expected the silence to just drag on and on and on...

"Why?" Sam asks. The rest of the question was self-explanatory, really.

"I-" he starts to explain.

"Because you realise that marrying me will make more life a whole lot more "hell-ish", right?"

It was a mistake, he feels like saying. It wasn't meant to be said. It just came out of my mouth, and the timing was kind of brilliant. Not that he'd go that far in proclaiming his stupidity and his intelligence all in the one sentence. That may not have been the smartest thing to do especially since she was now giving him the infamous "death glare". He shuddered.

The silence was deafening. Usually he'd say that it didn't make sense. How could something noiseless be so loud that your ears start ringing? But now he gets it.

"I take it back." He says, breaking the silence finally.

"What?"

"I take the proposal back. It just..."

"...came out of no where?"

"Yeah."

Sam looks at him. Freddie looks at her. He can't really tell what is going on in her mind at that very moment. But the scowl and grinding of the teeth should have been a clear give-away. But then again, Freddie was kind of hopeless when it came to "girl signs" ... you'd think he'd know all this by now.

The two of them shift uncomfortably, and wait for the other to say or do something. Their eyes meet and then dart away again. He's confused right now.

"You can't take it back," mumbles Sam.

"Huh?"

Freddie wasn't sure if he was hearing things. It sounded like she kind of... liked the idea of... but, no! That can't be right, surely. Sam and him? Married? The idea - although not SO far-fetched - but it was a little bizarre sounding. But they both liked... even loved one another... despite taking forever to clear it all up. So, maybe?

"You can't take it back," she repeats, a little louder. After a bit of silence... "Maybe it's not a bad idea."

Freddie looked at her incredulously, as she looks away quickly, unable to look back at him. He knew she was highly uncomfortable with all of this. Yes, he thought, Sam was considering their life... their life together. After he got over the initial shock he managed to say something.

"Are you actually considering..." his voice trails off, and he watches her nodding. She puts down her hair brush and comes to sit with him on her bed.

"Don't get too excited, dork-face. I said MAYBE."

He thought about it for a second.

All these questions he wanted to ask her were gone for the moment. He was just imagining Sam and himself, living together for the rest of their lives. The rest of THEIR lives? That was almost impossible to visualise. And what about Carly? What would she be saying to all of this?

That they were mad. Insane. Completely, totally and utterly bonkers. ...and in love. And that it COULD maybe work...?

Sam lay back on her bed. Freddie copied her. They were both staring up at the ceiling, and not looking at one another. His brain ticked over.

"Hypothetically," he says. "You are saying that maybe we should get married?"

"Hypothetically maybe, yes." Sam replies. "But don't get all mush-"

"You realise that means, hypothetically, that we'd be together for the rest of our days..."

"I know."

"...and you have to start being a little nicer to me..."

"Okay."

"...and breakfast in bed is pretty much compulsory..." So he threw that one in jokingly for good measure.

"Don't push your luck, Benson."

After a moment of seriousness, Freddie cracked up laughing. Sam eventually joined in with him. They were laughing with each other and it felt better than ever. It felt good, thought Freddie. Really, really good. A whole lot better than arguing.

Well that escalated quickly, he thought. One moment of silence and bam! They're hypothetically, maybe engaged to one another. He pushed aside the fact that he'd seen her and Brad in his car. He pushed aside the fact that he'd kissed Angela, twice. Hell, he pushed everything aside to make room for this new development.

He felt some fingers twist into his slowly. It was unlike Sam to get all sentimental, but he took what he could get. Because that's how it always was with her.

"In all seriousness," he says. "I do still love you. I meant to say that much."

"And in all seriousness," she replies. "You are still a dork."

Really? He thought. After everything they've been through, she's going to resort to playing the "dork" card? Some things will never ever change. He shakes his head and looks over at her. They are still laying beside one another and their breathing is slow and steady. Sam's eyes flutter closed, and he doesn't even hesitate on his next move.

Freddie reaches around, moves her face toward him and kisses her, softly at first. And then it intensifies as she kisses back. All the unresolved issues coming into it.

Sam breaks off the kiss for second. "I kissed Brad."

"I know." He saw it with his own eyes. It hurt for a little bit, but then he remembered doing the exact same thing. The hurt passed.

"It didn't mean anything."

Good, he thought. He resumed the kiss for a little bit until breaking it off. He owed her the same explanation. Fair is fair, really.

"I kissed Angela."

"Really?" There wasn't anything showing on her face. No hurt or anything. A good sign? A bad sign?

"It didn't mean anything." He knew he meant it.

"Good."

They went back to making-out with each other on Sam's bed. It lasted a while, because the next thing they knew, it was getting darker outside and the rain had long since stopped. Freddie didn't care about anything right now. He could tell Sam wasn't holding herself back either.

Hands wandered. Tongues explored. Lips pressed against lips. Bodies grinded against bodies. It was firework material. It was also the first time in a long time that they'd been this close to one another. The night went on, and so did they. No clothes came off though. In fact, when he started pulling at her shorts, she slapped his hand, telling him to "not go too fast". He nods and obliges. It wasn't worth ruining what they had - whatever it was considered - for a little fun of one night.

After all, he was a gentleman. He heard his mother yelling her proudness as he restrained himself from tearing all the clothes from Sam's body. It was tough, but he managed.

"Sam," he pants. "I need to ask you..."

"Can it wait?" she replies, panting too.

"Nope."

"Fine."

"Will you go on a date with me?"

"Sure."

A bit backwards, he thought. But they had always done things "backwards". Ask the girl to marry her... and then ask her on a date. Makes sense!

It was too easy, her response. Usually there would be some tormenting and teasing in there before she'd eventually give in and say "yes". It would require a lot of chocolate covered bacon, that's for sure. This time though, there wasn't even a second thought to it. She just agreed.

Oh my God! He thought quickly.

The chocolate covered bacon! He totally forgot amongst all the madness here. And also the kissing. A lot of kissing. Hey, he wasn't complaining. Kissing Sam was ... unlike any other kiss from any other girl. Despite only kissing Angela... Carly... and Sam. Sam was the best kisser. Perhaps because they had that "spark" or passion. Or both.

"Wait one sec."

Sam nods and he quickly stands up and rushes into the living room, to find the slightly soggy bag, grabs it and takes it to her. His gift for being a jerk the past week and a half. Give or take.

"A present?"

"Your favourite."

He watches her eyes light up, like it's Christmas morning and Santa delivered her a truck load of gifts. It was just bacon. But it was coated in chocolate.

Freddie noted that she was slowly but surely letting her guard down around him, and that was nice to see. He also believed that his idea was starting to appeal to the girl but she was too freaked to even say anything. He knew why. She was afraid of it not working out. Just like the dating thing. It hadn't worked out - they reached the conclusion of being "too different" and "forcing their friendship into something more".

If Carly were here, she'd probably thump his forehead for being such an idiot. "You've just had a fight with Sam, now you proposed! Have you completely lost your mind?" to which he'd shrug and pretend that it wasn't weird that he asked Sam to marry him. On a whim. That's what it was.

A whim.

He didn't dare bring it up now though. Not when she was sitting here, with him, in her bed with chocolate covered bacon. His gift of apology to her. Bacon made everything better, supposedly. It certainly made HER behave, thought Freddie.

Could he carry through on his proposal? Could Sam as his wife, for the remainder of his existence, actually make him happy?

Hypothetically maybe.


	16. someone with their own agenda

_**THE AFTERMATH OF iCARLY**_

_**Sam: someone with their own agenda**_

* * *

><p>The rain stopped about half an hour ago. What? She hadn't been counting the exact minutes, seconds and... oh whatever came after seconds. It didn't matter in the scheme of things. Really. Time was just... it was just one of those things that went on without any help from outside sources. Time had its own agenda. Remind you of someone else with their own agenda?<p>

Anyway. Time passed. Rain stopped. Had they been talking and kissing for that whole time? She wasn't sure.

Sam looked at the boy who was now sleeping on her bed. He looked so cute when he was asleep. Carly was definitely right. As he slept, the girl resisted touching his soft looking hair and stroking his peaceful looking face.

What just HAPPENED?

She loves him, for sure. Although he had hurt her, and she wasn't going to forget that fact. He also admitted to kissing Angela. That hurt too, despite her not saying so. But she'd kissed Brad and it was nice. Nothing compared to how Freddie had just kissed her. And also she wasn't ready to commit to marriage though. And they were NOW hypothetically engaged. Whaaat?

HYPOTHETICALLY ENGAGED. Like, who does that? Who does that?

They, apparently, do that. Among other backwards things... or things you and I supposedly consider to be "backwards".

Get "hypothetically engaged". They fight. They kiss each other. They go and kiss other people. They come back and apologise. They forgive. They fight again. They kiss, again. They are unusual. Everyone who knows them think it's normal for them. Everyone else - such as the viewers who "shipped" them together as a couple... Known as 'Seddie'. Hey! It's a great name!

Seddie, she had to laugh. Well, when they had found out that they had a "couple name" she punched Freddie in the nose and then ran out of the Shay apartment. It wasn't until Carly had found her and talked to her that she calmed down enough to speak to him again.

So yes, "Seddie" was now hypothetically engaged. Aside from that, he asked her out on a date. A DATE! She was screaming for joy! On the inside, of course.

But then there was the wedding she had to attend with Brad. And that was tomorrow. Tomorrow! She glanced at her little clock and read the time. 11:06 PM and thank goodness she had bought a digital one. Analogue clocks with their "minute hand" and "hour hand" and the numbers all in a circle? What up with that chiz? Ain't nobody got time fo' dat!

"Fredward," she hissed.

"Mmmpfff," mumbled Freddie.

"Freddie..." the girl nuzzles his neck, trying to wake him up.

"Sam? Wha-"

"Wake up. It's 11:07."

Sam squealed as Freddie grabbed her waist, and tackled her beneath him, and settled back down to sleep. She sighed and decided to let him stay here.

It wasn't often she gave into anything, really. But tiredness of all the sleepless nights caught up to her and she felt weakened. So sleeping here, with Freddie, was the best option. Plus she couldn't expect him to walk home at this time of night. It's when all the weird hobos come out and ask for pie. She wasn't THAT heartless.

Dare she think this for fear of sounding girly, sweet and prissy - but it was the best sleep she'd gotten in a while.

The next morning came way too quickly. Sam woke up with a start, Freddie's arm was laying over her, somewhat protectively. She remembered what had happened last night. She also remembered that Brad was going to pick her up for their "date" - well, his sister's wedding, anyway. She slipped out of Freddie's arms who was still dead to the world and over to the bathroom, closing the door quickly.

While she showered, her mind began to wander...

What if Freddie and her got married? What if they put aside everything that had happened, and actually... got engaged, for real. Not just hypothetically. Not for a joke or whatever. What if they had children? What if they lived in a house together, all happily married, with their children... and just being perfect?

"What if you're just a crazy person?" She told herself, out loud.

There was no way that THAT could ever happen. It was staying hypothetical, if she could help it. Maybe she couldn't help it. Maybe she wanted it to be real.

She finished up in the shower and dried herself, still lost in her own thoughts. Freddie was still lying on her bed, and hadn't even moved one single inch. So it was that a boy was in her bed, but she had to leave - with another boy. Sam growled and scolded herself for melting in Brad's presence. It was only that ... he was so NICE. But NICE didn't get you far. She knew that well and truly by now. All the years of being mean, bitter and rude to Freddie Benson had taught her that. Yet he came back. He keeps coming back to her, despite everything.

Freddie still looked so... peaceful.

"WAAAAAKE UUUUP FREEEEDDIIIIIEEEE!" Sam hollered, at the top of her voice.

"Whaaaa! Ooof!" That was the boy hitting the floor, tangled up in Sam's sheets. She laughed at him. "Uncalled for."

"Quit your grumbling. You gotsta go, Benson."

Still half asleep, she noticed that he wasn't sure where he was, or even what was going on. For all he knew, Sam had snuck in through his window and spent the night in his room. She laughed at his dazed expression and went to her closet to find the dress she bought - with Brad's money, at Angela's store - just two days ago.

"Sam, what exactly-" Freddie starts to question.

"There's no time, dork. I have less than twenty minutes before-"

Her phone buzzed, cutting off her sentence. Freddie picked it up and Sam snatched it from him, before he got a chance to glimpse the flashing screen.

"Oh. My. God."

The girl was close to freaking out. It was Brad's text message, and he was planning to get to her place earlier than one would have hoped. She ignored Freddie's pestering questions and ran to the bathroom, slamming the door. Why was she so freaked out? It wasn't a DATE. She is "A" date for Brad... but that's all it was. She was getting all worked up about nothing.

"Sam, what's happening?" Freddie's voice shouts, through the door.

What IS happening, she asks her reflection, who has no answer for her. She shrugs and quickly opens the door, to which a nerd falls to the floor, as though he'd been leaning on it this whole time while she was in there.

"Dress... Brad... Wedding... you and I... last night... Ugggh!"

There's a hand on her arm, stopping her from moving. Which is a total load of chiz, because you and I both know Sam can tip a milk truck if she really tried to - that happened once. Freddie witnessed it and needless to say was kind of impressed.

"Is Brad's sister's wedding today?"

No! Sam thought, sarcastically. For a smart nerd, he sure was dumb. Seriously. Hadn't he been paying attention these past couple of days? The mall? The dress shop? She shook her head and scowled at him, before he let her go and she resumed being all stressed out. This hardly happened. And she could see that Freddie wasn't about to say anything else that was stupid like: "Calm down" - because as we know... 'never, and I mean NEVER tell a girl to calm down'.

"You look... nice."

Ha ha, real smooth, Fredward. We give him points for trying.

"Quit being all chivalrous." Sam gave herself a mental pat on the back for remembering such a fancy word.

"Fancy word," he notes.

"Yeah, I know right? Now, I need shoes."

"Got it."

While he begins the shoe hunt process, Sam rushes back into the bathroom, and attempts some light covering of make-up and wished that Carly could be here to witness the "daffodilling" process. She finishes up and notices Freddie holding up some strangely perfect matching shoes that will go with her dress.

He laughs at the weirded out look on her face.

"Don't look at me like that," he says. "You forget, mom taught me everything about everything."

"Including women's shoes? Okay, freak-boy."

Sam smirked in spite of her angst. There was limited time now, because Brad was surely on his way to pick her up. She turned to Freddie, he smiled at her. She melted.

Damn it, she thought. Now's not the time to be a puddle!

"Thanks for your help," she says, under her breath.

"I'm sorry? What was that? Puckett just THANKED me for something?"

"Don't let it get to your head. It may explode from the swelling of my erm... compliment."

"Well I'd like to-"

"Leave. Now."

"Fine."

Sam pushes him out of her bedroom and towards the front door. Freddie stops, turns around and kisses her lips quickly. Whilst he does that, she opens the door and shoves him outside. He almost falls down the stairs, but luckily for him, she was nice enough to catch him by the shirt.

"Close call," she says.

"Yeah. I know. Thanks Sam."

The pit of her stomach does a little flip as he gives her a final kiss (for this chapter, anyway) and then backs away, with a goofy grin on his face. She tries to hide a similar goofy grin but feels herself losing that control, fast. He waves to her and she quickly goes back into her house and slams the front door, grinning from ear to ear. Damn you, Fredward!

"You are in SO much trouble, Samantha Joy Puckett." She tells herself, out loud.


	17. the official hero of the story

**_THE AFTERMATH OF iCARLY_**

**_Freddie: the boy who becomes an official hero of this story_**

* * *

><p>That was weird, he thought. But kind of awesome, all wrapped into one tight little ball.<p>

He was making his way home and events of last night swam through his brain. He couldn't really explain it, even if he tried. Like if some random came up to him right that very second and held a gun to his temple and asked what had happened between him and Sam... well, I'm sure you can fill in that blank.

Speaking of randoms.

"Hey! Gibby!" Freddie yells, giving the boy a fright.

"Dude! Not cool!" Gibby yells back. "Whoa, talk about one eighty degrees. What happened?"

If your mathematical, like Freddie is, you'd get what Gibby just said. And I just gave you a hint. You're welcome.

"I..." he couldn't finish the sentence.

The phrase 'he was completely and utterly dumbfounded' would apply perfectly here. Freddie and Gibby stared at one another awkwardly in silence until one of them broke it.

"Sam's got a date with Brad."

"I know, Gibby."

"Aren't you like 'in love with her' or something?"

"Yes, Gibby."

"So, what are you doing here?"

Freddie opened his mouth, and closed it again, not knowing what to say. Yet again, "dumb-founded". The kid had a point. What was he doing here, when he could be spying on her at Brad's sister's wedding. There was only one little problem.

"I don't know where the wedding is."

"Leave it to me."

Gibby quickly gave him a thumbs up and ran around a corner. Next thing Freddie saw, shocked him- if he wasn't already shocked enough. It was a red shiny car. Red was a fast colour, he thought. You can hear the slow applause now, of pointing this out.

"Gibby-"

"Hop in, I'll explain on the way. Oh and by the way... you may call me "Super Gibby". Cause I'm officially the hero." Keep thinking that, Gib.

"Not yet," replies Freddie, jumping in the front passenger seat. "We have to get there first."

"Geez. Who invited Negative Nancy to this party. C'mon, bro. We're gonna go get Sam!"

"Yay," says the boy, half-heartedly.

"Close enough."

And so (you need to imagine this said in a loud announcer guy voice that they have in movies sometimes) And so, Super Gibby and Freddie were off in their fast red car to go an save the precious Princess Puckett from the evil... or, not so evil fudge-making dude. Who is overlord of all the fudge kingdom. Will they make it in time? Or will they be too late? Muahahahaha ha ha ha ha (starts choking and coughing and spluttering) Sorry about that folks. On with the story.

Freddie sat there, whilst Gibby drove him what seemed like miles out of town. Maybe this was going to be a "secret" wedding, he thought.

The other boy beside him chatted happily about how he borrowed the car from some guy he met on the street and promised to give it back. Sounded like a dodgy deal, but okay. In the name of Seddie, it was highly recommended. (Not that I condone "borrowing cars from strangers", kids)

"I'm gonna go out on a limb here," says Gibby. "Did something happen with you and Sam last night?"

He couldn't just lie to the guy. Even though that sentence just rhymed. However, the things between him and Sam were kind of personal. And Gibby had a tendency to... what was that icky word that high-schoolers love to hate? Oh yeah, GOSSIP. He was the biggest gossiper in all of Seattle. That may have been taking it to the extreme - but then again, it was Gibby. And Gibby was... I don't know, Gibby? What IS a Gibby anyway?

"Not a lot," he lied.

"And by THAT you mean..." Freddie knew that his friend was fishing for a good response.

"Nothing."

There was a lull of silence. Freddie could almost hear the ticking going on inside Gibby's mind. It was ticking over, and over and over... tick, tick, tick, tick...

DING!

"You guys did it!"

What! Where! What! When! How! Whaaaaat? Just... whaaaaaaat!

Why would THAT be the first thing that springs into his thoughts? It was creepy that he'd come to THAT conclusion. The boy folded his arms and glared at Gibby, who laughed it off like he was joking. Until he gasped, loudly. He almost choked. That would have been... disastrous, thought Freddie.

"You guys kissed... again!" Not that it was earth-shattering, or anything. So Freddie didn't really know why he gasped at all.

I proposed, he almost blurted. But that was a bad idea. Telling Gibby meant the whole world - including Carly, who was living with pizza and spaghetti, would find out almost instantly. He couldn't let that happen. He let the Gibby suffer in his silence, and the sound of the car, whirring along.

Surely they'd be at the - well wherever this wedding was at. Church? Garden? Uhmm... a tree house? Freddie crossed the last one off immediately.

Gibby kept driving. Freddie leaned his head against the window and wondered what Sam was doing right now. Yes, that's right, his thoughts were all consumed by one particular blonde-headed demon. Much to his dismay, he didn't hate thinking about her almost constantly. He was completely in love.

"You are completely in love," says Gibby, finally.

"Stop doing that!" Freddie replies. "It's creepy!"

"Doing what?" Obviously oblivious to his "creepiness".

"Reading my mind." Pointing it out, slowly. Perhaps Gibby will get it.

"Huh?" Or not.

There were trees passing them or rather, the car passed the trees, since trees certainly do not move. Unless you've had a little bit of what the Italians call "el vino", then they do. Fortunately for both of them, Freddie nor Gibby had been drinking any form of alcohol. El vino, or otherwise. This would be a completely different story, and quite possibly rated higher than it currently is if the trees were moving.

They must be somewhere in the country, thought Freddie. Classy. Perhaps it's a garden wedding, after all.

The rest of the drive was in complete silence. Gibby was afraid of upsetting Freddie. Freddie just didn't want to blurt out anything for fear of saying something he wasn't meant to. You know like asking Sam to marry him and all that drama. That's what it was right now, drama, drama, drama.

"I think this is the place," assumes the guy who's driving.

"You think?" Freddie says. "You mean you don't KNOW where it is?"

That was a typical Gibby move. Do something and not think about consequences. Actually, he thought, it was more like a Sam-ish thing. But right now, it wasn't cute. He could have spit angrily. But he'd save that for later. Maybe. Luckily for Gibby, a group of people, looking like a wedding party was walking to where the "ceremony" would be held. It hadn't even started yet. He couldn't see Sam... or Brad. Maybe they were running late. What was he doing here? He had no idea. Really.

Since he figured that the bride resembled a female version of Brad, he assumed that this was the correct place, and that Brad and Sam would be here soon.

"Where do you think they are?" Gibby asks, out loud.

"How should I know?" Freddie fires back, feeling pissed off by now. "Am I psychic?"

"Freddie, Freddie, Freddie." He's shaking his head and Freddie resists the violent approach, with everything he's got. "You know that psychics foretell your future. I think the word you're looking for is..."

Gibby's voice trails off as he notices the shades of red that Freddie's face is now turning. Not embarrassed, but sheer anger and irritation. He knew that face, and decided to just shut up. A smart move, I must say, Gibby Gibson. Well done. Crisis, averted. All in a day's work for a hero.

Freddie slumps in the seat of the car that Gibby had "temporarily borrowed and was gonna return" and sighs uber dramatically. The other boy copies him.

There was really only one thing that was circling Freddie's brain at the moment, and that was the fact that Sam and Brad could be somewhere, private, waiting for the wedding ceremony to be over so they could just attend the reception afterwards. But what were they doing by themselves? He dreaded to think about it. Typical Samantha Puckett, he thought. Ignore the important stuff and move straight onto the fun stuff - which of course included food. A whole variety of food.

He hoped that Brad kept all parts of himself to HIMSELF. Or he may just have to resort to punching him in the throat. Which, by his own experience, is not a pleasant thing.

Part of him held onto the fact that the fudge dude was actually a good guy. He had just kissed Sam. Once. To his knowledge, anyway. Sam had kissed him, herself, after he had quickly pecked her lips. That's all he saw, anyway. Nothing to really stress over, right? Besides, he thought. The girl is somewhat in love with him, whether she believes it herself or not is another matter entirely, however it should count for something at least.

Freddie would have to just sit here, partially listening to a crazy person who was now telling him the importance of liquid soap versus bar soap, and... just wait it out. It was kind of painful, actually.

What if she never shows up? What if she's decided that Brad's better than what he is? What if she doesn't love him as much as he originally thought?

"Hey, do you think Brad and Sam will kiss?"

"They..." he stops himself and then continues. "You know what, Gib. I don't think that's an appropriate question."

"I thought it was very appropriate considering the situation you are in. Shutting up now."

Gibby closed his mouth as Freddie glared at him the whole time. They were sitting in silence, and hoping that soon, Sam and Brad would soon show up.


	18. the damsel not in distress

_**THE AFTERMATH OF iCARLY**_

_**Sam: the damsel not in distress**_

* * *

><p>They were not lost. At least that's what she kept saying to herself. Brad had just forgotten where they were actually meant to be driving. This was surprising considering that the boy had been trained as a boy-scout - and boy-scouts were always prepared. Especially when they were with a girl whom they liked. Sam happened to be that girl whom he liked. Poor guy.<p>

The fact of the matter was, she was secretly hoping for Fredward Benson to come and rescue her from the wedding. Not that it was HER own wedding. God forbid!

Oh chiz, she thought.

Freddie had proposed to her only yesterday... and she thought it over. The idea itself seemed kind of okay. But as she kept rethinking over and over again, it was absolutely positively unbelievably ludicrous. Yeah, she'd been saving that word for this occasion.

It's just a fancy word that means 'very crazy sounding'. Because it was totally inevitable that Benson would one day propose to her. Ha, yeah right.

So it was ludicrous.

Don't say that I don't teach you things in these fanfiction stories. Not that you do say that... oh whatever.

"I think I should call my sister," says Brad.

"Good call." Sam replies, picking her teeth with her fingernails. A gross habit she hasn't grown out of yet.

Brad dialled a number, pressed the phone to his ear awaiting a response. Sam watches him, also waiting kind of patiently. The two of them sit there in silence. Sam hated waiting in complete silence. And when he pushed the hang up button, she sighs.

"No answer. Maybe she switched her phone off."

"Great."

"I could try my dad..."

"Or you could just take me home, and forget about this whole shemozzle."

"Shemozzle?"

"It means... oh never mind."

"So is that what you want?"

Is that what I want, she asks herself this time. Sam had never been so unsure in her life - aside from wanting to not marry Freddie... aside from not wanting to date him... to fall in love... to... Okay! So there were many moments she'd been unsure. That is not the point here.

Brad stares, waiting for an answer. Sam starts to say something, but changes her mind and shakes her head 'no'. He smiles softly, and her heart skips a beat. Oh that smile!

"Try your dad," she finally suggests.

"Good call." Brad replies, in a similar fashion that she had done a few minutes ago.

While Brad talks to his father, finding out where in the world this wedding ceremony was being held, Sam occupies herself with a box of... you guessed it, fudge. He had done it again and brought her some delicious home-made sweets. There was nothing better.

Well maybe a few things. Bacon. Fredward. An email from Carly. Wait. Did she just put Freddie Benson in that category?

"Okay. It's not far from here, which is good news. All we have to do is follow the tree lined road."

"Brilliant. I like your fudge. It's just so... perfect."

"Most people like perfect fudge."

"I know, right?"

They continued the random conversation about people liking fudge and people who were crazy enough to not like it, whilst admiring trees as they drove through the small forest.

Sam took note of all the trees that they passed and wondered if any wolves were lurking anywhere near by. The girl always had had a strong imagination. Plus, those vampire and werewolf movies that Carly had dragged her to, even though they were complete torture, had some merit to them. The actors who played the characters for one who were super hot - particularly the werewolf dude.

Hence the side thought about forest wolves.

"We're here!" Sam announces, not really knowing why she felt the need to say it out loud.

"Thanks for pointing it out," says Brad, enthusiastically.

They hop out of Brad's car, Sam stretches automatically. You know like when you go on long car trips and you get out and just feel the need to stretch the stiffness from your arms, legs and back? Yeah, that's what happened to Sam right now.

Plus, high-heels weren't exactly her thing. And neither were pretty dresses - or make-up. Or anything that she was wearing, to be honest. Needless to say, she felt kind of uncomfortable. Brad was none the wiser and offered her his arm, like a complete gentleman. She took it and a thought flashed in the forefront of her mind.

Freddie.

Nothing in particular - just Freddie, in general.

"You okay, Sam?"

"Yeah. Fine."

Brad and Sam walk over to the front of the chapel. It's decorated with beautiful pink flowers and matching ribbons. He escorts her to a seat in the front pew next to his mother and grandmother. After brief introductions, he leaves her to go and find his sister, the bride.

"You are a pretty young thing," says the old lady. "My grandson is a lucky man."

"Oh." was all that Sam could manage to say. "Excuse me, I think I need some air."

The girl got up and walked, kind of quickly over to a side-entrance, dodging some kids that were all dressed up for the special occasion. As soon as she reached a nearby tree, she leant against it and took some deep breaths. It wasn't a huge deal, really.

She was doing him a favour.

From one friend to another. That's what friends are for, arent' they? Friends help each other out all the time. But "friends" don't go around kissing each other for the heck of it. Friends also don't ask if you want to get married. Friends are just that. Friends. It will stay that way, if she could help it.

As she got her thoughts in order, she nodded to reiterate that she was okay again, and went to find her seat. Not before bumping into Gibby.

Gibby! What the?

"Hello Sam. Nice dress."

"Gibby? Uhmm, what are you doing here?"

"I'm actually on a mission."

She didn't have time for his dumb pranks. She had a wedding date to attend, and he was holding her up for no good reason. It was making her a little irritated. The moment she tried to move one way, he moved in front of her the same way. He was doing it on purpose, she knew it.

Sam wasn't stupid. At least she didn't think she was.

"Look, I have to get back. Brad is-"

"A good guy. But he's not for you."

"Huh?"

Where on earth did THAT come from? Sam eyed him suspiciously, and folded her arms, waiting for some other explanation. It wasn't coming. Gibby had this habit of saying something but then not following it with an actual explanation as to why it was like it was.

There was silence.

Except that of arriving guests and organ music - it was the wedding song - the one they play for the bride as she walks down the aisle.

"There's someone here that needs to speak to you." Gibby finally says.

"Can it wait?"

Gibby shakes his head and quickly grabs her arm, leading her right away from the church. Sam attempts to bite his fingers, but he keeps walking and holding onto her, tightly. She hated being treated like a child. Gibby was being annoying.

But since when was Gibby NOT annoying?

"Can it wait?" Sam repeats, as she's being dragged along. "I'm kind of supposed to be inside the chapel."

"Nope."

"What's going on?"

"You'll see soon enough."

Sam groans and rolls her eyes. Always with the mysterious behaviour, she thought. And Gibby was kind of famous for it. His way with keeping secrets was actually kind of scary. He was scarily good at keeping secrets - especially not his own secrets. Exhibit A - Sam's feelings for Freddie. Exhibit B - Freddie's feelings for her.

Oh come on, she wasn't dumb.

She knew Freddie liked her as much as she liked him. Denial was the only annoying thing that got in the way of their "blossoming" ... whatever it was meant to be. Now Gibby's behaviour, strange as usual, just made her angry. Then they stopped walking suddenly.

Gibby looked around and made a weird bird noise - well Sam hoped that's what it was meant to be. She saw Freddie walking towards them. Freddie? Oh no! Why? Sam gave Gibby a death glare. If only looks could kill.

"Gibby, I told you the bird noise wasn't necessary," says Freddie.

"Oh dude," he replies, placing one hand on his friend's shoulder. "You and I both know that it was TOTALLY necessary." And with that, he left them to it.

"Well that was weird, I almost thought-"

"What the hell are you doing here, Benson?"

She wasn't in the mood for chit-chat. She was never in the mood for chit-chat, coming to think of it. She just wanted the factual information and then get back to what she came here for - to help Brad with his wedding date problem. At the moment, she wasn't doing a good job. Seeing as she wasn't even in there! The girl folded her arms, impatiently.

"I just thought-"

"No, you didn't."

"Okay, I didn't think. But Gibby thought-"

"Listen, Fredward. I have something important to do. So you either tell me what's going on here, or I leave right now."

The silence came over both of them. A gentle breeze rustled the trees around them. If they weren't having a little spat right now, it'd actually be a peaceful place. That aside, she could feel the awkwardness as Freddie's face went from normal coloured - normal for him, anyway - to a kind of normal tomato colour.

"We uhmm... we need to talk," he finally says.

"Oh."

There they were. Standing in front of one another, with those forbidden words just spoken out of Fredward's mouth. No one liked hearing those precise words. No one. Least of all, Sam.

Yes, you could literally feel the awkward.


	19. how could you refuse?

_**THE AFTERMATH OF iCARLY**_

_**Freddie: how could you refuse? **_

* * *

><p>If it wasn't for Gibby, he wouldn't be in this mess right now.<p>

Good on ya, Gibby, he thought. He'd thrown both himself and Sam in an awkward situation. She was meant to be with Brad right now - since he'd asked her to be his date for his sister's wedding. But here she was, standing with arms folded looking less than impressed. Score one for... well no one actually. No one could win this ongoing battle.

Freddie wasn't too sure of where he was standing. Of course he knew WHERE he was standing - outside a lovely looking chapel, with surrounding trees and with the girl who was currently staring at him, waiting for him to say something else that was going to be considered stupid.

"So talk." There it was. The invitation to screw up, yet again.

"I..." he had to stop himself.

What the heck was he meant to say right now? That he wanted her to not go to the wedding with Brad? That he loved her dearly, and he meant the proposal to be a reality and NOT hypothetical? That he just loved her. And that was that? He felt that everywhere he turned there seemed to be a dead end. No way out. No way to escape. Everything seemed kind of hopeless to him, actually.

"Talk mister!"

"Aarrgghh!" Freddie yells, unable to find something coherent to say.

"Nice. Well, if that's all-"

He grabs her wrist before she can move much further away from him. Sam grinds her teeth, and he knows that's a dangerous sign.

"That's not what I wanted to say."

"Yeah. I figured that."

Freddie pulls her close and there's a magical moment between them. SPARKS. Just like all the other magical moments shared between them. There were many. But this one seemed to mean a lot more than all the others. For some reason. Nothing else really mattered.

"Nothing else really matters."

Hey! That was MY line! You can't just steal MY line! That is plagiarism! Fredward Karl Benson. How dare you steal my- Oh, just forget it.

"But it does," says Sam.

"No, it doesn't."

"Does."

"Doesn't."

"Does!"

"Does NOT! I'll prove it to you!"

The boy yanks her toward him, and presses his lips upon hers instantly. He can feel her guard dropping every time he kisses her. It's a wonderful thing, he thinks to himself. Sam's a wonderful thing. He doesn't think that he could spend another waking moment away from her. It would kill him if she walked back into that chapel to be with Brad - despite it being just a pointless date.

They broke off the kiss. Sam looks at him, like he's gotten less-nerdy or something. The point is, he knew he was right.

"See? Nothing else matters. As long as we stay together."

"You realise I'm going back to finish this wedding date thing for Brad, right?"

This revelation just crushed him.

The two of them stared at one another, before Sam turns on her heel and walks away from him, yet again. He was kind of used to it... but this time it stung. It stung like hell. She may as well have punched him in the gut, and it would have hurt less.

Brad! he thought, disgustedly. What did Brad ever do to deserve Sam's respect and "niceness"? Here he was, pouring his heart out, kind of, and she just treats him like garbage! All Brad did was make delicious fudge. There was that one kiss, at least, he hoped it was just one kiss. A kiss!

He kissed Angela. But that was different, right?

Angela! He totally forgot! He was meant to call her yesterday to apologise for being weird - and for hurting her too. He wondered if it was too late. He had gotten a bad habit of being a (for lack of a better word) douche bag. He was kind of surprised that Angela and Sam hadn't teamed up together and planned some kind of "vendetta" against him. Even so, he felt bad for everything.

Carly would say "It's never too late to apologise for being a complete jerk." Oh Carly. Always the sweet tempered, adorable one.

"Freddie," says a voice, suddenly. He jumped about a mile into the air.

"Don't DO that!" Freddie shouts at Gibby.

"Sorry, bro. How'd it... uhh... how did it go with-"

"It didn't work, okay? She's gone back to Brad."

"Sorry."

Freddie stuffed his hands in his pockets and kicked at some loose dirt of the car-park, he aimed at the fancy car that Brad had driven him and Sam in not that long ago. He hated her. He hated Brad. And most of all, he hated himself for even believing that she'd understand his reasons for proposing to her.

Not that he'd explained himself THAT clearly. That was beside the point! He just hated her, that was it. But it was kind of a waste of energy - being angry at the world.

It wasn't her fault that he had messed everything up. They both were at fault. They broke up mutually. They kissed, mutually. They shared something special... also mutual, at least he hoped it was. He was sure that she wouldn't have agreed to it, if she didn't want to. Sam wasn't all that sentimental, as we all know by now. But some things meant more to her than anyone would realise.

He knew that he couldn't or wouldn't stay mad at Sam for long.

His love was stronger than his hatred. Despite the emotions being very close in relation. One was negative passion. One was positive passion. Must be true what they say - about opposites attracting one another. But mathematics is true, he thought. Negative plus a negative always equals a positive. Both were right. Both were shockingly relevant at the moment.

Gibby was looking at him this whole time, just absorbing the silence. They both turned to go to the car, leaving the heroics for one day.

"We tried, man. No one can say we didn't try."

"You know, for once," replies Freddie. "I agree with you."

Freddie hops in the front passenger seat and grabs out his phone and searches for Angela's phone number, then hits 'call'. It goes to voice-mail, but he decides to not leave a message. Not after his last attempt at leaving a message. That was very awkward.

"Where to, Fred-man?"

"Home. Actually... no. Here's an address. I have something important to take care of."

"Cool beans."

Cool beans? Really? Thought Freddie. That was a seriously random comeback line. Pushing Gibby's weird speech aside, he focused on what he needed to do that was so important. Again, he wasn't about to blurt it out to the guy sitting next to him. Nope.

The car sped back down the way they came before. The trees zoomed past the windows, and Freddie leant back, silently. But it wasn't that long until Gibby's "borrowed" car pulled up out the front of an apartment building. He gave Gibby a weird sort of man-hug and thanked him for driving him to Sam - despite their efforts being a bit on the fail side.

As the car drove off, probably finding its way back to its owner, hopefully, Freddie turned and walked inside the door of the building.

He pushed a button on an intercom looking thingy, before being buzzed into a place where stairs and an elevator were. It was an old place, by the looks of it. The boy took the stairs, thinking that it may be the safer of the two options. Besides, it was only level two that he needed. Not much climbing, really. And besides, exercise was good for you.

There was a door there. The door he needed. The door he wanted to be knocking on. So he did just that. He knocked softly at first, and hearing no one answer, he knocked a bit harder.

It opened, and there stood a girl dressed shabbily. But she still looked nice, thought Freddie. She had her hair tied up in a messy bun and white stuff on her apron. As soon as she saw Freddie, her mouth turned into a small smile and let him inside. Her place was neat and tidy, just like he'd expected. But the kitchen was a bit of a shambles.

"Cookies," she explains, taking a tray from the oven.

"Always a good thing," he replies. "You've been busy."

"I'm leaving for New York tomorrow."

Freddie looks at Angela. Angela reaches behind her and fiddles with the knot. She's having trouble untying it. He doesn't take much notice. He wants to know why she's leaving. Part of him already suspects something. But he's not going to admit that he knows.

"New York, hey? What's in New York?"

"A new job offer."

But, he thought. She had a perfectly good job right here, in Seattle. Close to him. Wasn't that good enough? Obviously not. He had no right to sulk about this though. Not after everything he had gone and done. He had no choice but to be happy for her.

"Congratulations," he says, and walks over and hugs her tightly. "That's wonderful news."

"Thank you, Freddie. Sorry, could you-"

The girl turns around so he could pick at the knot of her apron strings. He works on it and she talks more about the opportunity to meet a lot of people in the music game. The contract will be for five years or so and blah blah blah. He stopped listening after a while. Plus, this knot was stubborn!

"Those cookies smell nice," he changes the subject.

"Have one," she offers, placing the plate on the counter in front of him. "Oh thanks for untying the knot."

They were close. Close enough for Freddie to take a deep breath and catch her scent of perfume - not overdone. Just nice. He can't resist brushing some dusted flour from her cheek. She tries to look away, but he knows that she likes him. He's a very perceptive young man.

Freddie watches Angela close her eyes, and breathing slowly and calmly. Was she seriously expecting him to kiss her?


	20. no spice but everything is nice

_**THE AFTERMATH OF iCARLY**_

_**Sam: no sugar, no spice but everything is nice**_

* * *

><p>The wedding ceremony was over. Finally.<p>

It was okay, thought Sam. She hadn't exactly attended many weddings. Only one, and that was a little while ago - and she was wearing a hideous looking dress too. But that was for iCarly, and in particular an iCarly fan. It was a laugh if anything.

"Sam, you wanna dance?" Brad asks.

"Not really. Do you?" Sam replies.

"Nah. Thought I'd be polite and ask."

It was like they were just friends again. He was being polite and asking her to dance. She was politely refusing. She wanted to be with him right now and only him. As friends usually are. But her thoughts were constantly on Freddie and she didn't want them to be.

But it is what it is.

"Can we go somewhere that's not here?"

It wasn't just her mere request to him. To be polite or whatever.

More like a plea for gathering her sanity. Brad grins and nods at her, accepting the invite to escape more of the wedding chiz. Sam follows him outside, and they head down to the lake nearby the wedding reception place. It's a fancy looking hall thing, that's been all dressed up with the similar pink flowers and ribbons just like the chapel had been.

They both sat down and looked at the glassy water before them. It looked peaceful, and calm. Just like the still night, around them.

"Thanks for being my date today," says Brad.

"It's been fun."

"I know it hasn't. You don't like this sort of thing. You don't have to lie to me."

Sam was taken aback.

"Okay. So it hasn't been 'fun'. But-"

"No it hasn't."

"But you've made it a bit more bearable."

She looked at her hands placed nicely in her lap, and wished she'd nabbed a plate of chicken before coming out here. What? She was hungry! They'd already drunk some champagne along with eating some snacks along the way. They were fancy-looking. And tasted pretty good too. But the chicken looked extra tasty.

Along with some other things... that weren't food-related, if you catch my drift.

Sam tries to keep herself from blushing at the thought. She silently kicks herself for even thinking thoughts so dirty, especially when it didn't involve Freddie. Her thoughts are interrupted. Brad gently nudges his shoulder with hers. She laughs softly and nudges him back. They share a bit of a moment. It's a nice shared moment of something.

"Brad," says Sam, finally bringing the incident up. "You know how we kissed?"

"How could I forget?" Brad replies and she notices his beaming smile. She can't hold back her own grin. "It was phenomenal."

"Yeah."

I wouldn't go THAT far, she thought. Sam didn't really think that it was all that spectacular, to be honest. It was nice. Kissing him was very nice. She'd do it again... and again... and again. And it would still remain "nice". But there were implications. Such as... Freddie. Their "hypothetical engagement". And their love for each other. There would always BE those implications.

There didn't have to be. But they would still be there, no matter how you looked at it. She wanted to kiss him again to prove nothing else mattered (sounding awfully familiar). Badly.

"What about it?"

"Oh, nothing. I just was reminiscing." Haha, oh Sam. Who ARE you trying to impress here?

"Reminiscing? Fancy word."

"I know, right?"

There was silence. But it wasn't really awkward or anything. They just sat together, shoulder to shoulder, enjoying each other's company. It was a NICE silence. Everything about Brad or anything she did with Brad just screamed "nice". Nice, nice, nice, nice.

It could never be like this with Freddie, she thought.

All things NICE. But nice was boring. Nice wasn't phenomenal. Or spectacular. Nice was not the adjective to describe Freddie and Sam's relationship. Far from it. She didn't really know why that was. But something about the two of them didn't say "we like sitting together just because we're sitting together", you know? Sam knew that they were different. Their relationship was destined to be complicated.

Then there was Brad, the fudge-making legend with a nice smile and somewhat good-looking body. Body? Control yourself, girl!

"This is nice," says Sam. Again with the "nice" thing.

"Very nice." Brad agrees. Gaahhhh!

There's a moment where Brad looks at Sam. Sam looks at Brad. They share a bit of a smile and then look back at the lake.

"I could go for a swim," says the boy, stretching his arms out to the lake.

"Then let's go." Sam says, with a laugh and standing up.

"You're crazy!"

"Yes! And you brought it up! Come on! Or are you a chicken?"

They take off every item of clothing, aside from their underwear and grab each other's hands to race down to the edge of the lake.

It's freezing cold in there. Brad laughs and Sam splashes him, playfully. They are pretty crazy, really. Their laughter echoes around the lake, and they splash each other with the ice-cold water. It's not long before Sam is attempting to dunk Brad under the water.

Until they get tired, and stop splashing. The two of them come closer together, staying afloat as much as possible.

"Now this is fun," admits Sam.

"See? I can be fun." Brad says, chuckling.

"I can see that."

Sam and Brad swim around, so they can keep warm. Not that it's too cold now, since they were mucking around before. The cold had mysteriously vanished.

"Let's race." Sam announces.

"To where? It's a lake, Sam."

"To the other side?"

"You're on. What's my prize for winning?"

"If YOU win..."

"When!"

"IF! If you win... Well what do you want?"

"A kiss."

Sam's heart skipped a beat. But regained composure.

"When I win, you have to buy me a yearly subscription of 'bacons of the world club'."

"No fair. I call a reinstatement of my prize."

"Go then."

"You have to wash my car for a year." Evil thing, you. Sam shook her head wildly.

"What! No way!"

"Scared you'll lose?"

He had a point there. She wasn't scared of losing. Sam was a person that never backed down from a race, a dare or anything really that required her to win a prize. And more often than not, she did win first place. This was going to be no exception.

Poor unsuspecting (nice) Brad.

"Are we going to race, or what?" Sam asks, getting ready to swim for her life.

"Ready, steady... go!" Brad announces.

They were off to a great start, both of them. Except Sam could feel her arms growing tired with every stroke she took. The boy beside her was skimming through the glassy water of the lake with ease. She cringed and pushed the thought of her washing Brad's car far away from her mind. But it didn't go away so easily.

If she were racing Freddie, she'd win hands down. She didn't know that Brad was such a great swimmer. She'd been "hustled", big time.

Brad seemed to slow down before reaching the end and looks back at her. Sam catches up to him finally. For all intents and purposes the race is pretty much over for the both of them. No bacon. No clean car. But that didn't change the fact that she wanted to kiss him again.

Right here. Right now.

"You don't want your bacon subscription?" Brad asks her.

"And you don't want your car washed." Sam says, with a little smile. "Nobody wins." And yet, everybody wins also.

The calm water surrounds them, as the silence settles between the both of them as they listen to the sounds of distant wedding dance music and people talking. They must have been the more sociable people that hadn't given up and left.

Sam wanted to leave. So did Brad.

That's exactly what they did. And here they were, standing close to one another, soaking wet from their lake escapade. It wasn't ending anytime soon. Unless she would do something kind of stupid... like suggest they kiss each other again, or something.

"I think I want to..." she stopped herself in time.

"Want to... what?" Brad asks, not missing a beat.

In the end, it was easier to tell him. She took the easy road. Sam wasn't one to over-complicate things. Apart from her "complicated" relationship with Fredward Benson. Which was undeniably crazy. But that's only because they were in constant denial. And they liked annoying the people around them. Especially Carly. Not that it was done on purpose or anything.

Maybe.

Sam looked at the boy standing before her, all shirtless. She remembered that they both were just in their underwear and they were in the middle of a lake. The middle of a lake. Classy. Really. Couldn't have done it better myself.

"You know."

"Actually, I don't. Unless you care to tell me?"

"Do I have to?"

"If you want to ... do whatever it is that-"

"Kiss me." Sam cuts him off instantly.

"What?"

"Yup."

"Yes."

"When?"

"Now?"

"Good call."

They kiss each other. His lips press against hers and hers move against his. Their eyes flutter closed, sharing the same moment. His fingers curl inside hers and hers fit into his. Her heart doesn't skip a beat but she assumes that his is pounding against his ribs. Sam was kissing Brad. The guilt surfaced until she pushed it down, forcing it to keep away.

You guessed it, folks. The kiss is just simply nice, like the last time it happened. No earth-shattering moment or anything. Just like being with Brad, their kissing is pretty much uncomplicated and easy to handle.

Nothing about being with Freddie is uncomplicated. Confused yet?

That's why she probably likes being with him so much. It makes it all the more interesting. Sam likes things that are interesting. Then again, who wouldn't? And when she kissed Freddie - sparks just flew in all directions almost causing an dangerous explosion.


	21. another Seddie shipper

**_THE AFTERMATH OF iCARLY_**

**_Freddie: another Seddie shipper_**

* * *

><p>Yikes. She was seriously expecting him to kiss her.<p>

It was all he could think at the moment. The girl wasn't giving him much of a choice. It was either kiss her, or lose her forever.

Freddie was unsure of where to look, lean or do anything really. He loved Sam. He still loves Sam despite everything they have been through. Nothing about their relationship is easy. In fact, the easy way out, was to kiss Angela and be with Angela, and not Sam.

But Sam. Sam was feisty, rude, selfish and loud. Especially loud. And every time he looked at her, she'd glare at him.

Then there was the New York issue with Angela. She was going there regardless of his feelings for her. She would start a new life, with a new job and a new boyfriend... ouch! A new boyfriend? Freddie felt a pang of jealousy just thinking about her being with someone else.

But Sam.

"Angela, I want to kiss you," he says, all manly. He could hear Carly laughing at him all the way from Italy.

"Then kiss me."

"But..."

He was just about to say 'But I can't. I love Sam', and it was just as well he stopped himself. The girl in front of him opened her eyes again, took off the newly unknotted apron and placed it on one of the stools near the counter. Freddie watches as she takes a seat beside him.

"Sam?"

How did she know? Freddie thought. How could she possibly know?

"If it's Sam, then it's okay. I think the two of you have some sort of unspoken connection."

He still said nothing, but stared at her as though she was speaking to him in Chinese. Angela laughs softly and shakes her head, and Freddie can't say anything or do anything. He's stuck between a rock and a hard place. The stool wobbled a bit as he shifted uncomfortably.

Sam. Everything came down to his feelings for Sam. Sam this and Sam that. He was pretty much an emotional train wreck when she was mentioned. Or thought about. Or anything really. Sam, Sam, Sam. The past came flooding back. The lock-in kiss. The kiss in the rain. His proposal. The other dozen times that they kissed. The date. The time he got hit by a bicycle - aka the first time she fell in love with him, or so she told him. The flood grew stronger. And yet he remained sitting there and listening to the voice of the girl.

"I knew from the first time I saw you two together," she gushes. "I said to myself, 'Gosh, Ange. Those two are meant for each other. And of course, I was right. You two must stay together. But then you kissed me the other night and it wasn't meant to happen."

Freddie opens his mouth, but Angela places a hand up to stop him.

"It was a mistake. You and I both know that it was."

"It was a nice mistake." Freddie admits. Angela slaps his arm. "Ow!"

"Don't! It was totally crazy. You love Sam."

The boy nods slowly. Angela squeals and suddenly hugs him tightly and excitedly. What was that about her being similar to Carly again? Yeah, it's things like this that truly pushed her into that category.

All this time of denial, Freddie didn't see it - until now. Angela was just another Seddie shipper.

"You love Sa-am! You love Sa-am! You love-" she chants, and begins skipping around. Until Freddie's anger shows itself.

"Shut up!"

"It's true though. You love Sam! This makes me happy." It makes us ALL happy, Angela. It makes us all happy.

And all the other Seddie shippers around the world raised up their glasses of non-alcoholic wine in agreeance with her and toasted the awesomeness that is Sam and Freddie.

Freddie sighed and gave up any chance of calming the girl down after admitting everything he had kept quiet for so long. He must admit though, it felt kind of nice to tell someone of his desire. Not that he'd tell her what happened before they broke up or even what had happened the previous night - the proposal. That damn proposal changed everything!

Why did he have to go and ask her to marry him?

He didn't mean to say what he said. It slipped out. Kind of a spur of the moment type of thing. Since when, though, is a marriage proposal just a spur of the moment? Oh unless the person is on their death-bed and that's like their dying request.

Whoa. A bit creepy sounding. But romantic and sweet. Sort of.

But Sam wasn't on her death-bed. He may have been though. Especially after traipsing in with Gibby, unannounced and trying to "rescue" her from her wedding date duty to Brad. That was actually Gibby's idea, not his. He stole a car and everything!

"Penny for your thoughts?" Angela says.

"I have something to tell you. But you have to promise me you won't go singing about it."

"I promise."

"I mean it Angela."

"Well it sounds pretty serious."

It was pretty much a matter of life or death, in Freddie's opinion. Oh wait, that's Freddie's life or death.

He took a deep breath and blurted it all out.

"I went around to Sam's place like you said, but I saw her and Brad in his car locking lips. I felt pretty hurt but that's beside the point. I apologised just like we had planned but then I... I... I proposed to Sam. I didn't mean it though. I don't want to get married at least not yet! I feel like an idiot. Because she told me, when I told her, that I can't take it back!"

"You can't take it back? Does that mean-"

"Sam wants us to get married."

Angela gasped. Freddie looked away and felt more stupid than ever.

"You don't want to marry Sam. But she wants to marry you? How crazy! Why don't you want to marry her?"

"I can't be married yet!"

"Why not?"

"Well there's... I mean that there's..." He couldn't find any good excuse NOT to marry Samantha Puckett.

He was pretty much doomed. Particularly when he saw a beaming smile spread from ear to ear on Angela's face. Gosh darn it, he thought. There was absolutely no way out of this mess now. He'd probably end up married to the blonde headed demon in the end.

That couldn't happen yet. But he couldn't find a reason why he felt like that. Freddie sighed and put his head into his hands. It was hopeless.

"Where's Sam now?" Angela asks, patting his back softly.

"The wedding."

"Oh you mean Sam's with that gorgeous boy... oh what's his name again?"

"Brad," Freddie says, with a hint of jealousy.

"But Sam's in love with you, she wouldn't try anything with Brad... would she?"

"Who knows? They've already kissed!"

Angela offers him another cookie and places the plate down again after he takes one and breaks it in half. He watches her face turn from joyous and celebratory to a bit curious and thoughtful. It seemed like a plan was being concocted as Freddie chewed the soft dough.

The cookies were pretty awesome. Freddie let his mind wander. I bet she and Brad could combine recipes and make a cookie dough fudge - it would sell like hot-cakes! Or fat-cakes, he thought.

"Maybe I could speak to Sam." Angela suggests, out of the blue.

"I don't think that's a good idea," says Freddie, immediately thinking of the two girls swapping notes on his kissing abilities, or worse!

"Brad?"

"Now that's a possibility."

Maybe his cookie dough fudge idea wasn't SO far-fetched after all. He smiled and finished the rest of the cookie and let Angela talk him into her plan of action. But this time, he wasn't going to kiss her and ruin everything. Well he'd try not to, at least.

The pen was put to paper. Freddie and Angela discussed where and when the plan would take action.

"What if you ask Brad to one of your nerd-expos?"

"It's called the Galaxy Wars convention, and it's not on for another six months."

"Then, you say it's a pre-convention. Just for VIP's only."

"That could work."

Plans usually took longer to work out, especially logistics and such. Freddie watches as Angela chews the end of her pen thoughtfully but is concentrating on the paper more than him. At the moment, they had a place, time and reason. Now it was a matter of getting Sam and Brad there together, as well as both he and Angela being there too!

He could sense a double-date coming on.

He and Sam had been on a double-date before, with Carly and Gibby, surprisingly. It was fun until Carly and Gibby started making-out across the table - and ruined what would have been a delicious pizza. It was weird thinking that two people, such as Gibby and Carly would be making-out with each other... he wondered if Gibby missed her now that she was in Italy. Ironically the place where pizza was born. Funny how that worked out.

Funny how a lot of things worked out. Like his sneaky attraction to the girl who was seated beside him, and his urge to kiss her again. He tried to restrain himself. For all of five minutes.

"Angela you have something on your lip," Freddie says.

"Where?" Angela asks, oblivious to the motive and turns her head toward him.

"Let me-"

His mouth catches hers. She doesn't pull away and instead brushes his cheeks with her hands and kisses him back. It's nice, he thinks. It's very nice but it's no Sam/Freddie kiss.

Another mistake? They say the second mistake is no mistake at all. It's a choice.

This was his choice, to kiss her. He felt his neck grow hot and other parts too, but he CHOSE to keep going. Despite everything else screaming to him "NO! NO! NO!" Or maybe that was the Seddie shippers around the world.

They were now angrily throwing their non-alcoholic wine used for toasting, at their screens.


	22. Chapter 22

_**THE AFTERMATH OF iCARLY**_

_**Sam: until it becomes something else**_

* * *

><p>A kiss it just a kiss. Until...<p>

Trouble may be the word that we could use to describe what she was in right now. But there was no turning back now. She was kissing Brad, the nice guy. He was kissing her back.

Despite her guilt right now, she felt like they fit together nicely. Nice! NICE! She hated "nice". Nice could go to hell.

His hands slid down to her bare waist, beneath the water's edge. Yeah, they were still standing in a lake when they were meant to be attending his sister's wedding reception. But who cares about that right now? Sam could tell that the only reason that Brad had asked her to go with him, was his undeniable crush on her.

And here they were, kissing. Like nothing was even wrong with it. Like she and Freddie were nothing. But that was a lie.

Her hands softly stroked his bare chest, as their lips moved against one another. This kiss seemed to go on forever. No sparks or fireworks. But she couldn't complain. Nope, not even a little. She couldn't pull away either.

"Sam," mutters Brad, in between kisses.

"Mmm?" Sam replies, not fully focused on talking.

"We should... probably... get out of this water..."

"Five ... more minutes?"

Even though they'd probably be ice-cubes by the time five more minutes had gone past.

The girl felt the guy's smile and nod his head. He was enjoying this a little more than she was - apparently. He had a point though. The lake's water had gone from not-so-cold-anymore, to a-little-more colder-than-you-realise, to oh-em-gee-I'm-freezing-my-butt-cheeks-off-in-here!

So despite their "five more minute" thing, they decide to move.

Sam and Brad walk out of the water, still locked in an embrace, until they find where they had left their outer-clothes and helped each other get dressed again.

It was not the time for a fancy dress, thought Sam. She needed trackies and a sweat-shirt! ASAP! If only fairy god-mothers actually existed.

Like, seriously. That would be completely cool. You could totally get away with anything, and ask for anything you wanted. Within reason, of course. But, man. If you had a fairy god-mother, what would you wish for?

Before she knew it, his mouth was on hers again and they stumbled across the - well what may have been the car-park - and found his fancy car. He opened the door to the backseats and let her climb in before closing it again.

"It's warmer in here," says Brad, like he didn't just state the obvious.

"Mhmm," agrees Sam with a nod of her head.

"You're amazing."

If anyone else (coughFreddiecough) tried to give her a compliment, they'd find themselves with a broken limb of some kind. But since it was Brad, she couldn't begin to hurt him. He was just too NICE.

Nice was just nice. Not good. Not bad. Nice. Haven't we had this discussion before?

God damn it! Why?

"Why?"

"Well, you're an amazing person for one thing. And I've never seen a girl as strong-willed as you are. And you kiss like a pro..." A 'pro'? Really, Brad?

"No, I mean... Why'd we kiss?"

"You told me you wanted to. You wanted to, right?"

Yes. Yes, she wanted to kiss him. Yes, she liked it, sort of. I mean, he's nice. It was nice. Nice! Goddamnit!

Sam looked at him. Brad looked back at her. His eyes searched her face for an answer she might never even give. Because it's Samantha Puckett. And she has never rolled that way. Nor will she ever roll that way. Typical.

A kiss is just that. A kiss.

Until...

"Listen, Sam. I like you. A lot."

...until...

"I mean it. I don't care if you feel differently about me. But-"

...until...

"Say something. Anything!"

...until it becomes something else.

There's a reknowned silence.

She can't say anything. She kind of had a sneaking suspicion, but that was all. She wasn't too sure of his feelings for her. Just like she's never been sure of her own feelings. Aside from loving Freddie.

And man did she love Freddie.

Brad was there, and it would have been oh so... SIMPLE to date him. It made it easy to get married with him, have children with him and "live happily ever after" just like in the movies. But this wasn't a movie. It was screwed up, that's what it was. And she messed it all up by kissing Brad.

"I'm in love with Freddie."

There. She said it. Right to his face. His face crumpled. And actually, she felt bad now. Which really, never happened.

"I know."

"What?"

"I know you are in love with-" he's cut off, instantly.

"Don't repeat it!"

"Why not?"

"Because!"

He looks at her and even through darkness, she can tell it's one of those "are you for real" combined with "not a reason, Sam" looks. She's not an idiot.

It wasn't a reason. At least that's what Brad's face told her. But she had no good reason to deny her feelings anymore. Freddie knew. Brad knew. Heck, even Gibby knew. And for some unknown reason she had a strong feeling that Angela knew too.

"...I don't care, you know." Brad says, through the darkness.

"You should," she replies. "The kiss with you... it... it... meant..."

Nothing.

Sam couldn't bring herself to say it though. Her stomach somersaulted and her heart twisted painfully inside. Rejection hurts. She didn't have to. Brad could tell that she wasn't really into him like that. She knew he was hurt.

"I'm sorry," she says, meaning it.

"Don't be. It happens. People kiss. It happens."

"But I... lead you on. I hurt you."

"So?"

His lack of anger was very unsettling to her. He ought to be jumping up and down, spitting chips. Instead he remained cool, calm and collected. She turned to face him and reached out to touch his face. He recoiled and she dropped her hand again. She gets angry. She knows she's not really allowed to be angry. But she needs him to show it.

Maybe anger is one of those contagious emotions. Like sadness... or happiness... or love.

Love.

Love sucks, she thought. It got her into this mess in the first place. But hating love was pointless, she knew that since a long time ago. Carly was the one who said that to her and it stuck ever since. It was such a "Carly thing" to say though.

"Please yell at me. Or... or... or something!"

"Sam, I'm not mad at you. I won't ever be. I just wasn't quick enough."

The girl's eyes widen in realisation. How long had he been pining after her? Days? Weeks? Months? ...Years? Surely not!

"How lo-" she starts.

"Since the first time I saw you."

Firstly, uber cheesey. Secondly, just... whaaaaat!

That was insanity! Then again, she had been pining after Freddie, silently and violently, for... probably almost two years. In the middle of that they dated, broke up and... well, you know the rest (hopefully). But ever since then, she had not given up.

Now it was totally and utterly clear to her. Neither had Brad.

Carly was right. Again. Man, that's annoying, thinks Sam. Not even in the country and the girl is still being right!

"Brad, I am really sorry."

"Me too."

"No, I mean it."

"Me too."

Sam groaned and leans her head back on the comfortable head-rest of the back seat. This car, she thought. If ever I run into some cash, this car is definitely on the "to-buy" list. Brad also leaned back and let out a sigh.

They sat their, staring at the ceiling or roof of the car and absorbed the silence and darkness surrounding them.

"You know," says Brad, finally. "Freddie is a lucky guy."

"I don't know about that. I've been pretty horrible lately."

"But you had your reasons."

"Doesn't make it right!"

"True. But..."

There's a pause. Sam can feel a warming, sentimental speech coming on. A long one. She didn't want to tell him to shut-up. I mean, she wanted to tell him to shut-up but she couldn't. She knew it had to be said anyway. She braced herself for it.

"...if he loves you like you love him... nothing else matters, right?"

Nothing else matters. So much for the warm, sentimental speech.

Freddie had said that to her. But she rejected him when he said it. Only because she had made Brad a promise and was planning on sticking to it. Well... that was before... things happened anyway. Not that she could foretell what would be happening later on the night. It happened and she couldn't take it back.

Nothing else matters. She had to laugh bitterly. What else could she say? There were no words. No words. Brad had pretty much hit the nail on the head though. Despite him NOT being the first one to say it to her. Freddie did.

Freddie said it first. Freddie was always there for her, no matter what. Freddie was her first... was he going to be her last? Her forever? She didn't know. She didn't care. But she did. But she didn't. According to Freddie, it was all worked out. They would get married. Have kids. That stupid white-picket fence appeared in the picture too and she LIKED it.

Everything was going to "magically" turn out like his "grand master plan" or something. It was pathetic, she thought.

No. No it wasn't. Sam buried her face in her hands and cursed herself for wanting to cry. Because she was conflicted and now she was confused. Wasn't that the same sort of thing? She didn't want to know. She didn't want to care.

But she did care. Truly, utterly, unbelievably. Sam loved Freddie. And, like he told her before, nothing else mattered.


	23. Chapter 23

**_THE AFTERMATH OF iCARLY_**

**_Freddie: failing several times_**

* * *

><p>Not again!<p>

Surely this was a test of SOME kind. (I have to give InvaderJohnny credit for that idea. Thanks!)

He pushed her away quickly, despite how long they'd been going for. It wasn't right to be kissing another girl. Not when Sam's face kept popping up in his mind. The girl in front of him looked at him like he'd grown an extra head in the last five or so minutes.

What was happening here? He shook his head and stood up, ready to apologise... yet again. Fail.

Angela shook her head and started to tear up slowly, ready to reject his apology this time and throw him out.

"You idiot," she whispers. "I think you need to leave."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean for that to happen."

Wrong words to say at this present point of time, Freddie. Fail two.

"Just leave."

"But-"

"Go!"

Freddie scrambled to his feet and exited out the same door he came in through moments earlier. He felt a buzz in his pocket and assumed that it was a text message. He didn't bother to look at it though. He was scared to look. In case it was Sam, asking where he is right now.

Why would THAT scare him? It's not like they're an "item"... yet. All he did was propose - by accident.

"You are SO stupid, you IDIOT!" Freddie yells, and kicks a trash can. "Why can't you just stick to Angela? It'd be so much EASIER."

Fail three.

Because easy isn't what you're after. A small voice inside his head pipes up. And he knows that its right.

He didn't want an "easy" life. He wanted chaos, destruction, complication and confusion. He wanted Sam. God knows why, he thought. She's a nightmare! Sam's a living, breathing, eating nightmare and she's never going to go away.

"WHHHYYYY!" Freddie howls, like he's some kind of were-wolf.

Freddie stops howling and walks back to where the Bushwell Plaza is, to where his home is. He doesn't get side-tracked, but his mind wanders away from him. Perhaps it's because it's about twelve o'clock in the morning, and he's ridiculously on the streets of Seattle.

Double date? What was he THINKING? That's just it, he thought. He wasn't thinking. Besides, Angela must have forgotten that she was leaving tomorrow. TOMORROW! GAHHHHH! He WAS an idiot. And he'd gone along with her nice little plan anyway. Idiot, idiot, idiot!

Fail four.

He's losing two important girls in his life. He has no one to blame but himself. What was he going to do? What was there that he could do?

One was going to New York. The other was sure to stick around here and make his life miserable, especially after she finds out the truth about his motives behind the proposal - that it was a mistake. He was dead meat, or as good as. He hated feeling so damn sorry for himself. He pushed the heavy glass door and entered the clean-looking lobby.

"Well," slurs a voice from behind the counter. "If it isn't little Fredwardo Scissor-pants." He hiccoughed.

Freddie stands there both amused and creeped out entirely, as the crazy door-man stumbles toward him. Was he drunk or what? The stench of his breath confirmed an affirmative on that answer. Freddie held his nose and tried to dodge him.

Too late. Fail five.

Lewbert had his arms around the boy, who was frantically trying to escape. But there was no escape. Lewbert was laughing and crying at the same time, talking about his true love who hated him and his ugly wart.

"You know, she didn't even send me a... a... birthday card? Who does tha-at? WHO DOES THAT!"

Freddie winces and hears the ringing inside his ears from Lewbert's drunken yelling directly into it. He tries to scramble away, but again, the door-man grips onto his arm and doesn't let him go so easily.

"Lewbert, I think you need a nap." Freddie says, prying the drunken man off of him roughly.

"A nap? Oh... Susie liked naps!" Lewbert wails and finally drops onto the floor. "Where are you going! I need lotion for my wart!"

The boy seizes the moment and darts directly up the staircase and doesn't stop to look back until he unlocks his apartment door, closes it and catches his breath.

Lewbert is scary enough sober, let alone intoxicated out of his brain, thought Freddie.

He wondered where Sam was and if she was okay. Perhaps she was still with Brad at the wedding. Perhaps they had found somewhere quiet to go and have a private talk and perhaps a kiss...

No! That didn't happen. Just because YOU had to go and be unfaithful to the girl you love, Benson, doesn't mean Puckett had the same idea... well it wasn't even an idea. It felt "right" and I went for it, he thinks to himself. It was crazy! Sam wouldn't do anything to hurt you, not intentionally...

... or ...

Stop thinking like a crazy person, idiot. She's back at home, asleep in her bed, dreaming of me, he thought. I'll see her tomorrow.

Tomorrow! Chiz! That's when Angela is leaving! Fail six.

Angela isn't yours. She never will be, because you love Sam. You're IN LOVE with the blonde headed demon, no matter who else comes into your life. Angela was right. You belong together. Maybe it's not perfect. Maybe it's not practical in the very least. Maybe she's a little crazier than one would imagine. But nothing else matters.

That revelation just now was like a slap in the face. And it stung like mad.

"I wish I could just take it all back," he says, into the darkness. "I wish I didn't kiss Angela. And I wish I plucked up some courage and asked Sam out before proposing. I wish that Sam wasn't mad at me and things were back the way they were. Heck! I wish Carly was back home! She'd sort things out in a heart-beat!"

Carly would be just the person to solve every single problem that was eating him up inside out. The thing with Angela. The thing with Sam. The thing with his "commitment phobia" - or whatever it was meant to be. She would swoop in and save the day.

Just like old times.

If this was a test, he failed miserably. He caved. He CAVED! If this wasn't a test, it was just cruel and unusual punishment - maybe he was a mass-murderer in a past-life? Yeah, that had to be it. Because this was absolute torture!

"Okay, sit down and think it through properly." Freddie tells himself.

The characters in this story have been talking to themselves a lot. Maybe they ARE crazy! Beside the point. The boy sits down on the couch, still with no light on. Just sitting there in the dark, mulling things over.

"You love Sam. You asked her out on a date."

The date! Oh chiz! No, he hadn't forgotten... it was just that he... well... didn't exactly remember asking Sam out on a date. Tends to happen when you go and kiss some other girl who means nothing to you.

But Angela didn't EXACTLY mean nothing to him, he thought.

No! No, Benson. Bad. Stop thinking like that. It's what got you in this complicated mess to start with. You moron! I'm an idiot. A jerk. A... a...

Don't say it...

A scuzzbag.

I told you not to say it!

But I did. You can't take it back. Even if you are the author writing this story. I'm not taking it back, because it's the truth, you know it is. Sam will NEVER forgive me.

Double fail here for you, Freddie, which makes it fail six and fail seven.

Hey! Who's writing this thing? Me! I'm writing it! So, quit your wallowing in depression or whatever, get off your lazy butt and go find her!

Who?

THE OLD LADY IN APARTMENT 23C... who do you think?

Oh.

Freddie shook his head, and decided to take my advice. Yay! It was bad enough the voices in his head were arguing with him, but he didn't need an author on his back too. Good on ya Benson. Despite screwing everything up already.

At least he was going to fix it, or TRY to fix it.

That's when he remembered the buzz in his pocket like over an hour ago. The message! Gah! What if it was Sam?

Fail number seven. You're doing great.

He fumbled inside his pocket and pulled out the pear-phone, then tapped the code in to unlock it and scanned the screen. It wasn't Sam's number. It was an unknown number. It wasn't even within Seattle.

In fact, it was an INTERNATIONAL phone number. Don't ask how he knew what the code for "international phone numbers" was... he was, after all, pretty smart (when it came to everything EXCEPT girls). So he worked it out, kudos to him. There was a voicemail message left, which explained the buzzing sensation from before.

He clicked dial and pressed the phone to his ear, awaiting the message anxiously. Not really knowing why he was so anxious.

"Hey Freddie," it was Carly's voice. She sounded a little less "peppy" than usual. "It's Carly here. I was hoping to speak to you in person. But oh well. I'll just leave a message. I'm coming home tomorrow. I miss Spencer, and I miss you and Sam... heck, I even miss Gibby!" Here she laughs, but it's bitter. "Can you pick me up from the airport at around twelve pm? I'd ask Spencer, but I can't get through to him. Thanks Freddie. Oh and one more thing..." There was a rustling as the line weakened and finally went dead.

Freddie clicked the 'hang-up' button and threw the phone down beside him. What was the "one more thing"? Carly just left him hanging. Hey, not much different to the good old days, really.

Those days were long gone, though.


	24. Chapter 24

_**THE AFTERMATH OF iCARLY**_

_**Sam: urgent matters**_

* * *

><p>Here she was, walking inside her house, no lights on and absolutely nobody home. Home, ha! Sam thought, bitterly. Brad had been kind (nice) enough to drop her here though and for that she was eternally grateful. He had said something about wanting to stay friends. She agreed with him but didn't know how long it would last.<p>

Friends with someone you kissed? How would that even-

Oh wait.

Sam had kissed Freddie. Chiz, they'd gone further than that! Yet, somehow in someway they remained "friends" - if you could call it that.

She shook this thought away and went into the kitchen to raid the fridge for any "meat related food".

"Why do we have NO bacon!" Sam yells at the empty shelves and then slams the door.

It wasn't like she was expecting a response from an inanimate object, such as a refrigerator. But it was far too quiet in here. Could have been something to do with the fact that it was after midnight already.

Her phone sprang to life with her annoying ring-tone. She HAD to get that changed! It was an unknown number... so she ignored it. What? She was feeling lazy, sad and tired. Strangers were the last people she wanted to associate with.

If it was Freddie, his pretty face would light up the screen of her pear-phone. Unless he was calling from a pay-phone? Maybe he was in danger? Maybe he was going to be abducted by aliens only to be taken to their leader and brainwashed into helping them invade Earth? Aliens that eat your brain for breakfast and use your bones to make their bread.

Oh come on, Puckett, she thought. Impossible! So incredibly FAR-FETCHED. Only GIANTS in beanstalks do the bones into bread thing. You're losing it.

Where was Freddie right now? What was he doing? Did he REALLY want to rescue her from Brad's sister's wedding? Or was it just some kind of sick joke - just like everything else of their relationship. It was a game, and she didn't want to play anymore.

At least, she was SURE that's what Benson considered them as. A joke. It was never real. It was a fantasy. A lie. A sham.

But then it wasn't. Because whenever he kissed her, it was right not wrong. And whenever those chocolatey eyes scanned hers closely, she wanted to melt into the floor. He would hold her, so she wouldn't fall. He wouldn't hurt her... at least not intentionally. Just like she could never hurt him.

She did though. It was horrible. But it was the absolute truth. She had gone and kissed Brad again. Freddie wouldn't have done that. Would he? Nah. Not a possibility.

I wish, she thought. I wish he was here. I have a lot to say to him.

No.

She wished Carly would come back, and then they could have the "girly-conversations" that they always used to have. Or that she'd attempt to have with her, and she'd just roll my eyes and deny everything she was saying. Even if it were true. That was probably a better idea.

If only Carly weren't in Italy. But she was, and wasn't planning on coming back anytime soon. She loved it there, apparently.

Carly always knew what to do. Sam didn't know how or why, but it always turned out that way.

Just like Freddie. Clueless about women. Smart with pretty much everything else. But somehow in someway, he always knew what to do. Even if it was proposing to her just out of the blue... oh Freddie.

"Freddie, you idiot," she says. "Why'd you have to go and do that?"

It wasn't like they WANTED to get married. Well, she had thought about it and every time she thought about it, her head started hurting. Freddie had made no attempt - apart from saying "I take it back" - made no attempt to call it off. Even then, she told him that he COULDN'T take it back. Why? Why didn't she call it off then and there?

Because a very small part of her, wanted it to come true.

A life with Freddie sounded terrible... but a life with Freddie sounded... well... amazing. That didn't make sense!

Since when did stuff have to make sense, she questions her own thinking. Since when do Freddie and her make any BIT of sense? Since when does the words LOVE or RELATIONSHIP make sense? They don't. That's the point. Nothing of this "made sense"... to anyone. Least of all Sam. Possibly Freddie. It wasn't supposed to make sense.

Was it?

No! No, it wasn't. That's the problem here. If things made sense, they'd be easier. Like her starting to date Brad... or perhaps Freddie starting to date Angela.

Ew. The thought right then and there made her stomach flip. She almost hurled. Almost.

She had to go and see Freddie. She didn't care if it was past the middle of the night. It was possible that he wasn't getting any sleep anyway. Same as her. Thoughts running wild, and all that chiz.

Grabbing a jacket and throwing it on over her fancy dress - which she hadn't bothered changing out of, she grabbed her house keys, phone and shoved them into her purse, quickly threw on some sneakers - since there was no way in hell she was wearing heels - and left her house.

There was someone sitting by her steps. It wasn't Freddie though. But I'm sure you can guess who it was anyway. No, it wasn't Gibby. I think we've seen enough of him for this story, don't you think?

"Hi Spencer," she says, sitting down beside him.

"Hey kiddo," he replies, but his voice sounds kind of sad. "What are you doing here?"

"I... live here?"

Spencer glances up at the door she'd just closed a few minutes ago and sighs. Like nothing matters. Sam pats his shouder awkwardly, trying to comfort him, despite not really knowing what's going on. The girl looks at him.

Why'd I ever have a crush on this dude, she thought, fleetingly. The brushed it aside.

"Spencer, what are you doing here?"

"Well, I was walking home from my date, and I saw you come home with someone that wasn't Freddie."

What? He was SAD about her not being with Freddie? WHAT! She could have slapped him right then and there, and called him a bajillion hurtful names not before pummelling him into the steps in which they were sitting on.

Seriously.

"What the hell, dude? I thought you were seriously upset about something!"

"It made me upset! You and Freddie BELONG together." Great, another Seddie shipper, thinks Sam.

"Spence..."

The words she wants to say, she can't say. So she lets her voice trail off into nothingness, letting the silence to the talking for her. Which is stupid, because silence, she thought, can't say anything!

Oh my dear little Samantha Puckett. How wrong you are. Don't you know that "silence speaks volumes"?

"Silence speaks volumes," says Spencer, quietly.

Well if Spencer said it, it must be true.

"It means nothing."

"What means nothing?"

"Me and Freddie. We're nothing. We're never going to "belong together"."

Sam watches Spencer's face go from saddened to disappointed. Along with all the other Seddie shippers of the world who are raising their torches and pitchforks - getting ready for a battle. Take it easy folks. This story is not over yet.

"I hope you figure it out one day, Sam."

With that, he gets up, takes a look at her, shrugs and then makes him way back down the stairs and disappears down the darkened street of her neighbourhood. Her very dodgy looking neighbourhood.

That's when she remembered what she needed to be doing.

"Spencer! Spencer! Wait up, will you!" Sam yells, running after him.

"Wha- oof!"

Sam bumped into him, and they both fell onto the sidewalk.

They both laughed at their clumsiness and helped each other up. She ignored the stinging in her knees, probably a little scratch or something, she thought. And then walked next to Spencer the rest of the way to the Bushwell Plaza.

Sam explains her situation, and the past week or so of drama, following drama, following drama with her and Freddie. He listening intently, eager to find out "what happens next?" "ooh, and then what happened?". She left out the proposal bit though. What? Like she was going to be blurting THAT out to the world.

He was definitely a captive audience. The girl sighs at the end of her explanation, only to be confronted with a hug from the man.

"It's going to be okay," he says.

"How do you know?" Sam asks, feeling like she's a three year old asking about monsters in the closet.

"Freddie's a good guy. He wouldn't do any of that intentionally. I just know."

She knew that, in his crazy way, he was right. Spencer had had a lot of experiences with "lady-friends", plus he was a guy, and it was nice to get an older guy's perspective on things. It cleared some thoughts away at least.

"Thank you," she says, finally. "For being the best older-brother."

"You don't have any brothers."

"Shhh, don't spoil the moment."

"Okay, okay. 'Sis'."

They burst out laughing, like they'd told a funny joke or seen a skit on their webshow. Oh how she missed iCarly. Well it was a part of her life as a high-school teen. It had been there for her... just like Spencer. Just like Carly.

Just like Freddie.

Freddie!

Oh chiz, she thought. The girl grabs Spencer's arm and drags him the rest of the way to the apartment building. They stop inside the lobby where they find a man, passed out on the lobby couch. The lobby has a couch now? The elevator takes a while to arrive, but when it does, Sam's jumping in their like her feel were on fire.

Have your feet ever been on fire? Well if they have, you'd know exactly how Sam was feeling right now. If you haven't... just count your blessings. I know I am.

"There's something important I need to do," says Sam.

"Yeah you do!" Spencer replies, with a cheeky look on his face.

"I'm serious!"

"Yeah you are!"

"Dude..."

"Yeah y-"

Sam grabs him by the shirt, lifting him up and pressing him against the back of the elevator. She knows that he knows that he's in trouble.

"I swear, if you don't shut-up-"

The bell of the elevator 'dinged' and the doors opened.

Just in time.

Spencer sighed a huge sigh of relief as Sam put him back down on his feet.

She then rushed out of the elevator and immediately to the Shay apartment door, knocking it down pretty much and heading straight to their fridge, only to help herself to the abundant supply of ham, bacon, chicken and of course the filling for Spaghetti Tacos.


	25. Chapter 25

**_THE AFTERMATH OF iCARLY_**

**_Freddie: nothing can break us apart_**

* * *

><p>It's a sad day when you need sleep but sleep does not come. I feel very sorry for insomniacs. Imagine, not being able to sleep, when you most need it.<p>

The boy was lying in his bed but not asleep. In fact, he couldn't be further away from it. He was just lying there thinking about Sam, Angela and Carly.

Mostly Sam, though. It was always Sam. She is... unforgettable, to say the least.

There were many things on his mental 'to-do' list. Perhaps, he thought, I should write them down. Like he'd forget to do them, or something. Ha! Like he'd forget! They were all important as each other.

He had to get Sam back. He had to say "good bye" to Angela. And he had to pick Carly up from the airport. He was going to a busy man later on today.

He checked his phone for the time and if anyone sent him a text or whatever. It was fricken two in the morning! Freddie groaned and turned over and shut his eyes, forcing sleep to come.

Until...

"Sam! Stop!" It was Spencer's voice, all frantic. He groaned again. "No! YOU CAN'T JUST THROW A CHAIR AT-"

_C-R-A-S-H-_! Went the Benson apartment door.

"Oh chiz!" he shouts, as soon as he hears the noise.

"Freddie's door." Spencer finishes, sadly.

He sat bolt upright, tossed the blankets aside and scrambled into the living room, where a nicely dressed up Sam was holding a chair, Spencer was looking speechless and the door - well it was pretty much non-existent.

"Sam, what'd you do!" Freddie yells, looking at her angrily. "You just-"

"Demolished your door? You're welcome."

"What? No! You can't just take a chair and ... and... throw it at someone's door!"

"That's what I said!" Spencer chimes in.

"Well I just did," she says and he knows she's baiting him for an argument. "What are you gonna do about it?"

Freddie runs his hands over his head and groans. What the hell was THAT all about? He loved the girl, but she was INFURIATING. Especially now that she'd broken his door... worse, his MOTHER'S door. He is doomed.

Sam looks at him and smiles cheekily, like nothing is even wrong. She places the chair down and sits on it.

"You know, when something like this happens, it's always best to..." Spencer stops speaking and runs out, back into the "safety" of his own apartment, and slams the door.

Hey, at least he HAS a door!

"What do you want, Puckett? Another apology? You were the one who brushed ME off, remember?"

"Benson," she scoffs. "You're an idiot. I was doing a FAVOUR for Brad. He asked me to."

Freddie folded his arms. Sam stands up and walks over to him. He takes a step back, in case there's another "chair-swing-smash" heading his way and HE was the target.

At least he was wrong. Thankfully. He held his breath nonetheless.

"You're kind of cute when you're jealous," she whispers.

"And you look like a stark-raving mad lunatic when you're jealous," he whispers back and sees her giggle.

"Freddie, I'm-"

"No, don't. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have doubted your loyalty." He looks away, doubting his OWN loyalty.

"And I shouldn't have snapped at you for trying to save me... or smashed your door with a chair or-"

"Enough already. I get it."

They shared a look that only resembled forgiveness. And kind of a warmth that only stayed between them.

Here they were, all apologetic and so out of character. It was either extremes of hate or extremes of love. These two had no middle ground to stand on. Until now, just at this very moment. That's where they were standing.

A silence settles over them once again.

But it's okay, because they're used to silences now. They mean different things. This one is a friendly one.

"Carly's coming home today," Freddie blurts out.

"What?" Sam asks. "Why didn't she-"

"She left a message on my voice-mail. She wanted me to pick her up at the airport."

"Oh." She looked down as though remembering something.

He wondered if Sam had gotten a call too, but maybe she didn't pick it up because she didn't recognise the 'international call code' and plus it was an unknown number too. That would make sense.

"You can come with me, if you like. I'm sure she'd love us both there." He says, quickly and hoping that'd cheer her up.

She suddenly tackles him in a hug. He contains his emotion... for all of five milli-seconds and then hugs her back. He doesn't want to let her go. He feels her let go, but he's holding her tightly until she clears her throat and he retreats.

He looks at her, like really looks at her for the first time in... since they broke up. She's standing there... in a dress that she most likely hates wearing... and the sneakers that he's quite fond of. She can pull any outfit off with those sneakers, even if it is for a wedding. But if he recalled yesterday, she had been wearing heels. And probably complained all night.

A strange tingly feeling starts in his fingertips and moves up his arms and pretty soon his whole body is itching. And he's ninety nine point nine percent sure that it's not an allergic reaction.

"Sam..." he starts to say.

"...Freddie..." she replies, softly now.

He's desperate to kiss her and he's pretty sure she's expecting him to. But the guilt of kissing someone else nagged the back of his mind.

"About the proposal..."

"Hypothetical?"

"Oh... uhmm... yeah. The hypothetical proposal..."

"What about it?"

"I think we should..." he stopped himself. Her eyes widened as he spoke, she was hanging onto his every word.

"Yes...?"

"I think that we should..." he couldn't say it.

"Spit it out, Benson!"

The memories of their history together and not together, friendship, frenemy, enemy, and all the other stuff zoomed into his brain. He left the present momentarily and with it, left Sam too. Just for now. I'll bring him back, I promise.

* * *

><p><strong>Entering Freddie's flashbacks...<strong>

* * *

><p><em>There was a time where they hated, and I mean HATED one another. But that was Sam being jealous, or so it seemed.<em>

_"__Oh, you invited the doof!" _

_"Man! I didn't know THAT was gonna be here!"_

_"She. I'm a "she" Freddie, as in GIRL."_

_"...barely..."_

_There was a time where they were in a kind of love/hate thing. Some say, they never left that phase of their relationship._

_"Really? You wanna kiss me?"_

_"__Kiss you? Dude I'd rather... Not do that at this time, but that's for your kind offer."_

_Or how about when Sam's sitting at a kissing booth, and Freddie approaches her... she stares at him. _

_"Not for nine BILIION dollars."_

_"Don't worry, I'm not going to kiss you."_

_And then... THIS happens kind of out of nowhere... the fire-escape and the first-kiss conundrum..._

_"I was just going to say-"_

_"That WE should kiss?"_

_"You're gonna break my arm now, right?"_

_"No."_

_And there was a time that Sam and Freddie confessed something major - too bad it was while they were breaking up..._

_"Hey, I love you."_

_"I love you too."_

_And finally... there was the time that this happened... despite them ending it... was all that he needed to keep believing they would find a way to be together and stay together. One day..._

_"Hey, how was I?" _

_"Just alright." _

_"That's offensive! But seriously...?"_

_"The best I've ever had."_

* * *

><p><strong><em>... exiting Freddie's flashbacks.<em>**

* * *

><p>There were many, MANY other times that he could think of... but these few stuck with him and never left.<p>

"Earth to Fredwardo," says Sam.

How long had he been snapped out of it?

"Sorry, I was just... uhh, never mind."

"What were you going to say before? Something about the propo- I mean, 'hypothetical' proposal?"

"Sam, I don't care if you hit me, slap me or punch me-"

"Those are all the same thing-"

"... yeah... "

"So?"

"I want to marry you, Samantha Joy Puckett," he says, stretching his hands out. "I love you. I know, I know. It's going to be a challenge. But I'm up for it... considering it'll be with you."

Sam is speechless.

"This is not hypothetical. This is real. I am saying this because you and I... we don't have to be perfect. But-"

"Okay."

"Okay, what?"

"I will marry you. For real."

"Seriously?"

"You want me to decline?"

"No! No, I'm happy you're accepting."

"Just happy?"

"Over the moon, ecstatic, excited, nervous but mostly overjoyed. Yes, I'm happy."

Freddie reaches over, pulls her to him - again, cheesy as - but the moment called for something like this. Sam would probably disagree. But anyway, he hugs her tightly and she hugs him back. They stay like that for a long time.

"So we're engaged," she says. "Do we tell Carly?" The question of all questions.

"Hmm, I'm not sure. What do you think?"

"I don't know. I mean, she's our best friend. But she'll freak out if we walk over to her in the airport, holding hands."

They were thinking along the same line here. Carly wasn't very... accepting to change - despite leaving for Italy which changed life completely!

Freddie looks at Sam. Sam looks at Freddie.

Perhaps they should keep it to themselves, just until Carly gets settled back in... finds a new job... or college or whatever she wants to do, finds a nice boyfriend (or girlfriend - there's no judgment here) and is happy with being back.

There was no point in worrying the poor girl. Besides, she'll be uber jet-lagged from her flight.

"I love you, Sam."

"Aww. You're a nub," replies Sam. He laughs.

"Never change, Puckett."

"I don't plan to, Benson."

Oh and hey, he had completed one thing on his mental 'to-do' list already. Except another was added in replacement - such as "buy a brand new door" and fix the door-frame before his mother comes back.

For now, they were secretly engaged.

Unless someone goes and blurts it out "accidentally on purpose" to some other character, who will tell another character who will ... you get the picture. But who will this character be? Gibby? Spencer? Brad? Angela? ... or some other new character that will just happen to know about Sam and Freddie's secret?

Who do YOU think it will be? Well...?


End file.
